Ikeda

Located in the heart of Mayfair, Ikeda is a traditional Japanese restaurant, serving exquisite cuisine in an exclusive, fine dining setting since 1979. This place is old-school with the points you can see when coming here are that affable and super-polite staff, inoffensively trad decor, lofty prices. Consistency is the order of the day – briny-fresh sushi sets served the old way on wooden blocks.

The highlight is a ringside seat by the tiny open kitchen, where sparklingly fresh sashimi, light, crisp tempura and numerous other classic dishes are produced. A lunchtime set of well-shaped nigiri was served traditionally on a wooden block. Leaner-than-average slow-simmered pork belly with Japanese mustard and boiled rolled spinach (buta kakuni) yielded easily at the prod of a chopstick. More unusual was a prawn tempura dish, where the shellfish was rolled with cha soba noodles in nori before getting a second dipping in the batter and oil. Like the ambiance, the lofty prices also fit the Mayfair location. But consistency is the order of the day here, so come in the sure knowledge that you’ll get a decent meal.

Address: 30 Brook St, London W1K 5DJ

Website: https://www.ikedarestaurant.com/