Roketsu | Japanese fine dining in Marylebone
Everything about the experience at Roketsu feels like the team behind it are striving for perfection.
Not merely goodness, or greatness – they seem to be earnestly aiming at point at which they cannot improve. And that ambition alone creates a fairly unforgettable meal. Roketsu serves up a 10-course kaiseki, which is the Japanese equivalent of a Western tasting menu, for just ten diners at a time at its counter (although there is a downstairs lounge with space for another 10).
Walking in the understated black door on a quiet Marylebone street, the first thing you’ll likely notice will be the very Japanese feel of the interior, like it’s been plucked out of a traditional village and delicately placed in central London. And in a way, it has. The materials making up the bespoke interior (including 400 year old Japanese cypress, chestnut, and camella) were all sized, cut, and prepared in Kyoto by a venerated architect, then shipped to the UK to be assembled. The walls were then painted in a traditional technique that uses uneven lines to create a sense of informal relaxation. And the floor tiles? They’re all unique, created by by a legendary Kyoto-based ceramicist.
Like we said, they’re aiming for perfection.
And naturally, the kitchen team is just as obsessive. Head chef Daisuke Hayashi trained at the three Michelin Star Kikunoi ryotei restaurant from the age of 18, as apprentice to the head chef there. Like all kaiseki menus, his changes regularly (as does the crockery it’s served on), but one thing you will be able to expect is plenty of dashi, a kombu seaweed & bonito flake stock that’s absolutely central to this style of Japanese food. And yes, if you were wondering whether their kombu supplier was a specialist artisan from the islands off Hokkaido who matured it in straw for two years minimum, then you were correct.
As for the menu itself? Well, it changes regularly depending on what month you go. But it’ll be sensationally good, and above all, it’ll likely have elements that astonish you with their creativity & skilful execution. You might get a platter of squid bottarga, soy-caramelised sardine, and herring roe, accompanied by burdock, black beans, and quail egg; a delicately balanced sakekasu-nabe hot pot featuring sake-lees, red mullet, scallop, oyster, and shiitake mushrooms; a luxurious dish of lobster and richly marbled toro tuna with kimi-joyu and karami-daikon radish; a bowl of salmon roe rice, served alongside a creamy Jerusalem artichoke soup and an assortment of pickles; and some beautifully crafted mackerel senmai-zushi, carrot, turnip, cucumber, abalone, and smoked salmon kinuta-maki. And there’ll be plenty more besides.
Then there are the wine & sake pairings that come with it all, which are selected with commensurately next-level care.
Frankly, if this place doesn’t impress you, nothing will.
NOTE: Roketsu is open from Tuesday to Saturday. You can find out more, and make a booking at the Roketsu website.
Roketsu | 12 New Quebec St, W1H 7RW
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