Knightsbridge, Japanese Restaurant Guide

Arjun Waney and Rainer Becker’s “well-oiled” glamour-magnet, just off Knightsbridge, “has kept its high standards for more than 15 years now” (it opened in 2002, nowadays with spin-offs around the globe). “The cocktail bar is a bit of a zoo”, but that just adds energy to its “buzzy” (“so noisy!”), “casual and comfortable” overall style; and even if Japanese-fusion cuisine doesn’t today seem like quite the genius-magic it did on opening, the “sublime” dishes here still feel as fresh as a daisy: “wonderous bites” of sushi, black cod and other “supreme” creations.

“Marvellous, exquisite Japanese food”, including “super-fresh fish” and “the best sushi in town that won’t break your wallet”, is served at this “very professional” Mayfair outfit. Popular with Vogue staffers, who call it the ‘Condé Nast canteen’, it has a “cosy” offshoot buried in a luxurious corner of Knightsbridge.

“It’s eye-wateringly expensive, but the clientele are so rich that it doesn’t matter!” at this deluxe Belgravia outpost of the 20-year-old, Moscow-based Sumosan empire, which shifted a couple of years ago from Mayfair to the stretch of Sloane Street south of Harvey Nicks, seemingly patronised solely by ‘citizens of nowhere’. Foodwise, an innovative menu of Italian and Japanese dishes are presented side-by-side (prepared by a chef dedicated to each cuisine): “lovely… I wasn’t paying…”