This space, in a Grade I-listed building, is palatial: pale walls, double-height ceilings and gorgeous arched windows, dust-scattered sunlight streaming through them. There are tables, or a large, luxurious marble counter, where you can watch in awe as the chefs perform their micro-surgery.
The menu dials things up even more. There is smoke. There is razzmatazz. But it’s not pretentious – they only get the blowtorch out with good reason – however, it is quietly ambitious. There’s subtle complexity and precision on every plate. It’s food you’ll want to savour.
The signature wagyu bun is bang-on. A juicy, intensely flavoured patty, a brown bun that’s soft and warm, the hit of heat, the crunch of baby gem. Sticking with the meat – cooked on the Josper for maximum nom – there were moreish izakaya-style chicken wings, and a beautiful slab of charred Iberian pork loin with a sage and fermented miso sauce. Sounds incredible, right? It was.
The sushi, meanwhile, is ‘modern’. There was sashimi of fatty salmon belly with a microscopic ‘Nikkei salsa’; seared, delicately sweet nigiri of Santa Barbara shrimp (blowtorch time!) with the citrus-umami kick of yuzu soy; and a stunning, get-your-phone-out-and-get-snapping ‘double crab roll’. That’s right, Cornish spider crab and soft shell crab all packaged together into a mutant, yet addictive combo, all legs and legs. Deep-fried soft shell crab can be risky – it’s so often too greasy – but here it’s perfection.
Also great: shrimp tempura maki rolls, with crispy tempura flakes and a piquant sauce of creamy, spiced, pickled cod roe.