Restaurants

Zuma is still one of the most exciting spots in town in which to dine and schmooze. The crowd is Knightsbridge and City meets Sex and the City, where model types and their swains wear designer gear and expect others to notice. Don’t let the ‘modern izakaya’ tag fool you – this is high-end dining. The lengthy menu features the likes of umami-rich sautéed Japanese mushrooms with akadashi miso, or cubes of fried tofu with a spicy crust served with avocado salad and tiny sprouted herbs. From the robata grill, barbecued tuna with umeboshi (salt-pickled plum) sauce and grilled vegetables is typical of Zuma’s innovation. Baby chicken marinated in barley miso and roasted on cedar wood was tender, succulent and smoky. There’s an equally deft hand at work with classics: turbot nigiri were tiny fingers of rice draped with translucent turbot; sashimi of chu-toro was an exemplary cut of tuna. Zuma has one of the best saké lists in town, with a knowledgeable saké sommelier to guide you around it. Drawbacks? A meal here doesn’t come cheap, and the two-hour sittings are strictly enforced.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008