NIJŪ feels like a hidden gem.
To be clear, it’s not actually hidden – it’s just that the restaurants surrounding it in Berkeley Square, with their aggressive glitz & boisterous glamour, make it seem so much more elegantly understated. And then there’s the fact that it’s housed in a beautiful Mayfair townhouse that you could easily walk past without realising there’s a restaurant inside.
It’s the domain of third-generation sushi master Endo Kazutoshi who won a Michelin Star within one year of opening his similarly elegant & understated debut London restaurant, Endo At The Rotunda. And he’s the kind of restaurateur that likes to save the flashiness for the plate – and at NIJŪ, he absolutely delivers.
So step inside, and pushing through the heavy curtain at the door, you’ll be welcomed up a sumptuous mirrored staircase which leads up to the venue’s two dining rooms. The larger of the two, on the left, is the main space, and it’s centred around its sushi bar. There, a trio of chefs take fresh swimmers from the adjacent fridge, then artfully slice, dice, scorch, and season them before laying them in colourful little parades on the plate.
The menu here revolves around Japan’s ‘katei ryōri’ style of cooking, which translates roughly to ‘home cooked food’, and basically means comforting flavours that emphasise the quality and natural taste of the ingredients. Endo has put chef Chris Golding (formerly at Pantechnicon) in charge of the kitchen, and bussed in head sushi chef David Bury (formerly SUMI) to man that sushi counter.
That means you can expect the likes of artfully designed platters of sushi & sashimi (with a variety of different toppings) and fresh wasabi grated at your table; seared beef with an array of Japanese sauces (the yuzu soy is an explosion of citrus and umami); and desserts including a beautiful little custard tart with a dollop of sharp rhubarb sorbet to cut through the richness.
You can get a cocktail at your table, but we’d highly recommend heading down to their downstairs cocktail bar, Nipperkin, which is a beautiful little hideaway with a petite wooden bar that barely separates the customer from the person shaking the drink. You’ll find plenty of original twists on classic cocktails (their version of a daiquiri involves matcha & fig leaf, and it’s lovely), as well as a menu of post-dinner cocktails, too.
NOTE: NIJŪ is open now. You can find out more, and make a booking at the website right HERE.
PREVIOUS PERK: Nudge Members received a Secret Soft Launch with 50% off the food bill, plus a welcome cocktail each, for six weeks. Not yet a Nudge Member? Start a free trial here.
NIJŪ | 20 Berkeley St, W1J 8EE
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