Kensington, Japanese Restaurant Guide

Despite designer interiors and posh locations (the ten-year-old original in a Kensington backstreet; the ‘Ocean House’ spin-off in South Kensington, in a quirky building built as Brompton Library), this off-radar duo perennially inspire surprisingly little feedback. Not only that, such reports as we do get typically say something like “one of the most delicious Japanese restaurants in town”. Perhaps it’s because they are not cheap?

“This showcase of Japanese culture” – an upmarket restaurant within the Japanese government’s Japan House cultural centre in Kensington’s former Derry & Toms department store building – “delivers an on-the-whole good dining experience”, which includes “beautiful food, beautifully presented and it’s all delicious”. The main caveat is that it is “a little pricey” Top Tip: “the sake menu is worthy of the cultural centre”.

“Delicious steamed bao buns with great fillings” are the star turn at these “loud” and dynamic izakayas (Japanese gastropubs) in Covent Garden and Fitzrovia, backed up by raw fish and hot-stone rice dishes. The newer, bigger Fitzrovia branch, near Oxford Circus, adds a selection of Peruvian-fusion Nikkei plates. They are part of the Bone Daddies group, whose Australian founder, Ross Shonhan, departed in 2020 for pastures new in Dubai.