Saké No Hana

Alan Yau's high-end Japanese enterprise lost some of its sandy-hued warmth when swathes of tatami were removed in a 2010 refurbishment. But the finely slatted cedar blinds still hang over the enormous windows of the main restaurant, lessening glare yet enhancing the light in the room and shimmering at sunset.

Unless you're eating in the ground-floor sushi bar, you need to navigate the peculiar entrance, which involves taking a static escalator or a dimly lit lift to reach the wide open first-floor space (now with a sushi bar too). Staff assist at the reception desk and at most of the twists and turns; first-time diners will need directions for the toilets.

Of the impeccable sushi, the salmon and avocado roll is especially refreshing, with bonus cucumber inside and canny flourishes of cress held in place by translucent sheets of daikon. The tempura has always stood out, for quality of batter and diversity of ingredients - in summer, look out for courgette flowers and luscious halved figs.

Other hot highlights range from the simplest, tapas-sized quartet of salt-sprinkled shishito (mini green peppers) to higher-priced, if still small, delicacies such as charcoal-grilled hamachi collar and stocky leg sections of ponzu-tinged king crab. In conclusion: great food, modest portions, substantial prices, bizarre layout and service that blows warm and cool.