Holland Park, Japanese Restaurant Guide

Yasuhiro Minemo & Shinya Ikeda’s odd but “excellent” duo are over a decade old but little known, perhaps due to the “somewhat sterile” nature of the interiors: both in Kensington backstreets (“cramped seating on high stools on the bright ground floor, or in the downbeat ‘Siberia’ of the dark basement”); and in the ‘Yashin Ocean’ younger sibling in the potentially cute old Brompton Library on the fringes of South Kensington. If you like “top sushi” however, this is some of the best in town: not cheap, but without the second mortgage required at the Mayfair omakase restaurants. Top Tip – “the set lunches are top quality!”

“With its eclectic Mexican/Japanese fusion fare”, this duo of funky bar-restaurants offer a “fun” time as a “great location for drinks and snacks with fabulous cocktails and tacos” and is “especially good if you’re dining with a few people so you can share dishes”. At least that’s what most folks feel about these surprisingly vibey and “buzzy” haunts in Notting Hill and by Liverpool Street station. On the downside, “it is easy to rack up a large bill and service can be erratic”. Where such criticisms are made, it’s mostly concerning the larger, newer EC2 branch (“had a rooftop meal in the City and although we knew it would not be ‘bargain basement’, we felt we were treated like cash-machines to be brought in and moved out again as quickly as possible”). See also Juno and Luna. Top Menu Tip – “nearly everything is gluten-free” and also nut-free.

2024 Review: After shopping hours, the Supermarket of Dreams in Holland Park Avenue morphs into an upscale Japanese restaurant, with guests seated at a long central table. It started as a pop-up, and announced it was to become a permanent feature in March 2023. Dishes are created by Juan Cardona (formerly of Endo at The Rotunda), and Jaime Finol (formerly of Sumi) and sushi is the mainstay of the menu (as you’d hope, given the stellar renown of both those places in that respect). Reports please!

Within Holland Park urban legend ‘The Supermarket of Dreams’ owner Chris d’Sylva (also of Dorian, see also) has installed chef Yuji Shimokawa to run this evening-only pop-up capitalising on the tremendous produce in the store to create a so-now menu of sushi, sashimi, tempura dishes (like venison or quail) and steamed fish and lobster. The venue also hosts the ‘Tuna Fight Club’ – a regular £250 per person night that’s the subject of columns in places like the NY Times: “you watch a giant (about 230kg on the night I went) tuna fish get butchered and eat bits of it as they go”. (To apply for tickets, you now first have to have eaten either at Urchin or Dorian). All feedback so far in our annual diners’ poll says it’s an “exceptional all-round” experience.

“Sometimes it just has to be ramen”, and this group from Japan Centre owner Tak Tokumine provides noodles and broth that are “consistent, quick”, “high-quality and very reasonably priced” – “service isn’t amazing but the food makes up for it”. The 12-hour tonkotsu pork broth is a speciality of Hakata, Tak’s home district of Fukuoka city on the island of Kyushu.

This “unusual omakase hidden over a Mexican/Japanese bar” in Notting Hill inspires relatively few reports: perhaps not surprising as it only has 6 seats. It’s the passion project sideline for the executive chef, Leonard Tanyag, of the wider Los Mochis business and offers 15 courses for £230 (before drinks) available at 6.00pm and 8.30pm, Tuesday to Friday, and 1.00pm, 6.00pm and 8.30pm on Saturdays. Though limited, feedback thus far is nothing but glowing.