Japan on a plate, via the Middle East

A high-end Japanese omakase restaurant with a Middle Eastern twist is scheduled to open in Marylebone by the end of September. Mayha, in Chiltern Street, is the first UK opening from Beirut’s Nothing But Love group, although chefs Jurek Wasio and Yuichi Nahayo have both previously worked in London’s Yashin Sushi and Ocean House.

The Lebanese influence will be seen most clearly in the decor, which includes traditional hand-poured coloured tiles from the BlattChaya company in Beirut.

Guests will dine around a carved stone counter on the ground floor, from which they will be able to watch the kitchen team in action. Pre- and post-meal drinks will be served from a scorched timber bar in a ‘hidden’ courtyard down a wrought-iron staircase.

No advance details of the menu have been released, but there will naturally be an emphasis on fish and seafood, including a selection to be eaten raw.

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