Kiku Restaurant

KIKU Located in the heart of super-smart Mayfair, this restaurant, which prides itself on its hospitality as well as its food, has been serving the authentic taste of Japan to a dedicated following for more than 30 years. It is a branch of the Mikuniya Onsen Inn in Kinosaki, Japan, and certainly recreates the warm and attentive hospitality that characterises traditional Japanese inns for its London clientele. First, select your seat: there’s a sushi counter for a close up view of the impressive knife skills used to craft some of London’s best sushi, or choose the contemporary dining area with minimalist wooden furnishings to throw all the focus on the food. Then it’s time to browse the extensive menu. Try a Kiku Special lunch for a delicious mix of yakitori, tempura, sushi and dessert, or a set lunch built around classics like chicken teriyaki or grilled eel. A la carte options include zousui porridge, a delicious dish of soupy rice that’s comfort food with a difference, and a range of delicately flavoured, deliciously filling casseroles, including white radish and chicken or lemon sole. For something special in the evening, go for the Kiku Dinner with sukiyaki, a shared hotpot of thinly sliced beef, vegetables and noodles, or splurge on the Edo Dinner kaiseki course, a daily changing menu using the best ingredients of the day. A sushi menu packed with expertly executed favourites is joined by an impressive sashimi line-up: treat yourself to a tokujyo moriawase for a beautifully plated selection of the day’s best fish. Desserts to splurge on include ice-cream tempura and daifuku, little balls of glutinous rice filled with sweet treats.