Latest opening: KOYN
What: A decidedly upscale modern Japanese restaurant in the heart of Mayfair just east of Grosvenor Square. Both the interior and the menu at KOYN - pronounced coin - are inspired by the duality of Japan’s famed Mount Fuji where a ‘lush Alpine environment peacefully co-exists with the fires raging below’. The food offer is consistent across the Grosvenor Street restaurant, but the space is split into two distinct areas: a first floor dining room called Midori that is representative of the top of the mountain and a ground floor space called Magma that takes its design cues from the active volcano below.
Who: KOYN is the fourth restaurant from LSL Capital, which was co-founded by father-daughter duo Samyukta and Dinesh Nair a few year after they made their standalone London restaurant debut with top-end Mayfair Indian restaurant Jamavar in 2016. Two more Mayfair sites have followed: more casual Indian restaurant Bombay Bustle and - just last year - Chinese restaurant MiMi Mei Fair. According to Samyukta, LSL capital’s USP is that it can create vibey, lifestyle restaurants that also serve great food - two things that don't always go hand-in-hand in the W1 postcode. The kitchen is headed by New Zealand-born chef Rhys Cattermoul, who is a good fit for KOYN having spent much of his career cooking at Nobu (most recently, he was executive chef at the group’s Hong Kong outpost).
The vibe: While it doubtless didn’t come cheap, KOYN is an impressive looking space with a design concept that at least partly addresses the challenge of creating restaurants that are suitable for relaxed daytime dining as well as more high-energy late night eating and drinking. The ground floor space is inspired by Japanese zen gardens and is a suitably calming in feel with a greeter’s desk sculptured from rough marble, iridescent oyster shell walls, green leather banquettes and a sushi counter. Down below within Magma the focal point is a robata grill with the overall feel much moodier and darker than upstairs.
The food: As is typical of LSL Capital, the menu covers all bases and is big on luxury ingredients. Dishes include fresh tofu salad with wakame, konbu and sanbaizu; dry-aged seabass with Oscietra caviar, sweet shrimp and yuzu dashi soy; whole tempura red mullet with yuzu kosho tosazu and kombu salt; and A5 wagyu cooked and served on a hot stone with sea salt and wasabi. The savoury part of a meal at KOYN is recommended to be closed with a selection of sushi and sashimi that’s focused on sushi rolls and nigiri. Desserts include passion fruit pavlova; and matcha crème brûlée served with an almond chopstick.
To drink: Attention to detail is evident throughout the drinks list, with KOYN offering a selection of sake and wine that befits a high-end Mayfair Japanese restaurant as well as a creative selection of Japanese-inspired cocktails.
And another thing: Samyukta and Dinesh will launch yet another Mayfair site in November. Socca will see the duo collaborate with high-profile French chef Claude Bosi to create a French Riviera-inspired restaurant. The launch will take LSL capital to five restaurants (and four cuisines) and cement its position as a key player in Mayfair’s rapidly evolving eating out scene.
