The top line: Having opened Tobi Masa at The Chancery Rosewood in October, chef Masa Takayma has added to the offer with an intimate omakase counter. Under the helm of chef de cuisine Cheng Andrea Fu, formerly of ROKA and Nobu, the new omakase experience sits alongside the a la carte menu offered within the main dining room.
On the menu: No two menus will ever be the same at the counter, with seasonality and availability of ingredients playing their part. A meal could start with dishes such as toro tartare, and Scottish langoustine, followed by sushi and sashimi that includes fatty toro tuna, saba (Japanese mackerel), kanpachi (amberjack) as well as foie gras. Sushi is served to each diner individually, and they are encouraged to eat each bite immediately with their hands to get the full effect. A meal ends with chef Masa’s signature truffle ball and beautifully simple Japanese melon to clear the palate.
The vibe: The experience is hosted across seven counter seats, with an additional three tables for larger groups available in the restaurant’s sushi lounge. With a view of the chefs cutting fish and preparing each dish, there’s plenty to keep you occupied during what feels a very intimate and premium experience. The omakase counter is open exclusively for dinner with a meal priced at £260 per person.
And another thing: Nobu Matsuhisa is often credited as popularising high-end Japanese cuisine in the US, but Takayama’s first restaurant on US soil pre-dates Matsuhisa’s. His debut restaurant Saba-ya opened in Los Angeles in 1980, seven years before Matsuhisa opened in the city. Like Matsuhisa and his partnership with Robert de Niro, Takayama also has links with Hollywood stars - Marlon Brando was a regular at Takayama’s second restaurant Ginza Sushi-ko, and he was reportedly the only customer to whom Takayama would deliver food.
30 Grosvenor Square, Mayfair, London / ww.rosewoodhotels.com/en/the-chancery-rosewood/dining/tobi-masa