Harden's survey result
Summary
One of London’s most accoladed Japanese restaurants, this bijou venue in a quiet Mayfair mews was formerly part of Marlon Abela’s M.A.R.C. group – it was sold as a going concern by the administrators when the group collapsed financially in 2020. Feedback is limited over the intervening period, but remains highly enthusiastic, and we’ve rated the restaurant on the basis that both its luxurious Kyoto-inspired kaiseki cuisine, and the bill that accompanies it, remain at a formidable level.
Summary
Under “perfect chef and artist” Yoshinori Ishii (chef since 2010), this fairly small, hidden-away Japanese – in a quirky Mayfair mews, with little exterior signage – had been going from strength to strength and was head-and-shoulders the best property of Marlon Abela’s M.A.R.C. group. In early 2020, though – just prior to the first pandemic lockdown – it entered administration along with others in the group, although unlike The Square and Mortons Club it remained open. Details of its rescue are scant, but rescued it was and as of November 2020 it continued to trade.
Summary
“Yoshinori Ishii is the perfect chef and artist… unique” and goes from strength to strength at this fairly small, hidden-away Japanese – in a quirky Mayfair mews, with little exterior signage – where he’s been head chef since 2010. Traditional gripes about the larcenous pricing are notable by their absence this year: instead, feedback could not be more positive about his Kyoto-style kaiseki cuisine, placing it firmly in contention amongst London’s top Japanese destinations. Owned by Marlon Abela’s M.A.R.C. group – this is head-and-shoulders his best property.
Summary
“Japanese cuisine at its finest (the quality of ingredients, especially fish, is simply amazing!)” inspires respect for Marlon Abela’s much-vaunted venture dedicated to Kyoto-style kaiseki cuisine, tucked away in a delightful Mayfair mews and whose sleek styling is “not typically Japanese… in a good way”. Ever since it opened in 2004, it has taken flak for being “grossly overpriced”, but the reason its ratings were dragged down this year related to a couple of unusually disappointing reports.
For 31 years we've been curating reviews of the UK's most notable restaurant. In a typical year, diners submit over 50,000 reviews to create the most authoritative restaurant guide in the UK. Each year, the guide is re-written from scratch based on this survey (although for the 2021 edition, reviews are little changed from 2020 as no survey could run for that year).
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Restaurant details
Prices
 Drinks |
|
|---|---|
| Wine per bottle | £40.00 |
| Filter Coffee | £5.00 |
 Extras |
|
|---|---|
| Bread | £0.00 |
| Service | 12.50% |
14-16 Bruton Pl, London, W1J 6LX
| Number of Diners: | |
| Required Time: | |
Opening hours
| Monday | CLOSED |
| Tuesday | 12 pm‑2 pm, 6 pm‑10 pm |
| Wednesday | 12 pm‑2 pm, 6 pm‑10 pm |
| Thursday | 12 pm‑2 pm, 6 pm‑10 pm |
| Friday | 12 pm‑2 pm, 6 pm‑10 pm |
| Saturday | 12 pm‑2 pm, 6 pm‑10 pm |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
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