Dinings SW3 doesn’t demand attention with a neon sign or a grand entrance. In fact it does the opposite.
It’s unassumingly placed at one end of a quiet cobbled Chelsea mews, in a you-wouldn’t-even-realise-there-was-a-restaurant-there kind of way – but the steady hum of word of mouth for its meticulously crafted Japanese food has ensured that it gets found by the sushi-craving crowds each night.
And just to sharpen their already impressive credentials, they’ve now elevated their cocktail offering and Nudge Members (plus a guest) can get a taste of this themselves with a complimentary cocktail and dessert when they dine from 8th March to 8th April.
The space itself is housed in a Grade-I listed building that used to be an artist’s studio, and is something of a masterpiece in itself. The modern furnishings separate an elegant quartz bar on one side and a grand Victorian fireplace on the other, all overlooked by a mezzanine floor above. Everything’s flooded with light thanks to the long windows, which even come with cushioned windowsill seats for lingering over a final sake.
The food comes courtesy of chef Masaki Sugisaki, who was practically raised in his family kitchen back in Japan and honed his skill at restaurants like Nobu after coming to London. Cornish day boats whisk all manner of swimmers to the place daily, leaving a menu filled with the likes of Crispy Rice (small, crunchy parcels of glutinous rice paired with salmon or hand-picked crab & yuzu emulsion); seabass carpaccio with freshly shaved truffle & ponzu jelly; and little wagyu sliders scorched on their Josper grill.
The sushi has soy pre-seasoned into the rice itself and comes in a range of varieties – you’ll find every cut of bluefin tuna you could want, from the fatty to the lean, as well as yellowtail, hand-dived scallops, smoked eel, and line-caught seabass. Your server will even recommend the order you should eat them in, so the flavours build upon one another.
Then, to finish it all off, there’s a yuzu cheesecake that looks exactly like a yuzu fruit, complete with green leaves and a little branch too. Slice it open, and you’ll find a heart of zingy blood orange & ginger to cut through the lusciously creamy wrapping. Just don’t eat the branch.
But, back to that bar, and those new cocktails. Almeida has put together a menu of two halves—the Kaizen (改善) cocktails are classics reworked with Japanese ingredients, including a Sesame Old Fashioned, a ‘Dorai’ Dry Martini garnished with shiso oil, and a White Miso Espresso Martini that delivers a savoury depth to the usual caffeine kick.
Then, the Ikasu (活かす) selection is built around seasonal ingredients, changing every few weeks. Right now, they’re serving up Green Kiwi & Thai Basil Margaritas, Gooseberry & Lemongrass Gimlets, and Kumquat & Turmeric Negronis.
You won’t need a neon sign to tell you they’re delicious.
NOTE: Dinings SW3 is open now. You can find out more, and make a booking at the website right HERE.
PERK: Nudge Members are getting a complimentary cocktail & dessert each when they dine from 8th March to 8th April. For details, and to find out how to book, just head to the ‘Complimentary Cocktails & Dessert’ box at the top of this page.
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Dinings SW3 | Lennox Gardens Mews, SW3 2JH
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