Nobu

As we went to press, Nobu was closing for a week of refurbishment. It needed it. We couldn't help but notice the scuffed chair legs, nor the slightly half-hearted 'irrashaimase' welcomes of the staff on our recent visit. Coupled with the fact that you can now get a Friday night table with less than a week's notice (last year, receptionists advised calling one calendar month in advance), this had us a little worried.

However, the eccentric menu, mixing Japanese traditions with Peruvian flair, a combination made famous by the eponymous Nobu Matsuhisa, can still be a hot draw. Latin American influences by way of anticucho skewers, salsas and tacos elevate the pure beauty of ingredients such as wagyu beef, raw fish and simple vegetables, but there is also no-nonsense sushi.

This is no place for budget eating; the drinks list is pricey, and the set lunch menus are not an accurate reflection of the main menu, though it does offer peeks. Rock shrimp tempura with ponzu, black cod with miso, and sashimi salad with a peppery vinaigrette were all brief glimpses of the kitchen's skill, but the greasy butter-fried vegetables with rice were sub-standard, and the miso soup pedestrian.