Takuya Watanabe swaps Paris for London with the launch of Taku

London’s Japanese offering has soared considerably this year and, well, it’s happening again. This month (November 2022) sees the opening of Taku, an omakase restaurant headed up by Chef Takuya Watanabe, formerly of Jin, the first sushi omakase in Paris to receive a Michelin star.

So, yeh, pedigree.

Taku features a mere 16 covers, and will highlight the best ingredients that the British Isles has to offer at – as is the spirit of omakase – the discretion of the chef. There’s no menu, per se, just a daily-changing tasting experience, prepared from the freshest locally-sourced ingredients and daily catches. There will be three menus available: a 17-course lunch at £180; the 20-dish Signature menu at £280; and the Prestige menu, priced at £380, including additional courses and ingredients such as caviar and truffle.

This will also, we’re told, allow Chef Taku the time to prepare the dishes in edomae style. Obviously you’re a Lusso reader so you don’t need us to explain that this is considered the most traditional form of sushi making, and dates back centuries to when sushi in Japan’s capital city of Edo – now  Tokyo – was cured in vinegar to keep it from spoiling. And, of course, you’re all too aware that leading sushi chefs continue to use this technique to preserve fish at its freshest as it allows them to gently bring out the umami flavours of the fish. So we won’t explain that.

The drinks list – as you can imagine – will feature fine and rare wines and champagnes and specialty sakes. And, perhaps best of all, they’ll be selected by the sommelier named Bowie Tsang which automatically makes Taku the coolest restaurant in London. Those are the rules, right?

Taku Mayfair
36 Albemarle Street
London W1S 4JE

Takumayfair.com

Taku is open for lunch, 12.30pm – 3.30pm Wednesday – Saturday; and for two dinner sittings per evening, 5.30pm and 8.30pm, Tuesday – Saturday.