Aqua Kyoto

5th, 240 Regent St, London

You might say London suffers from an excess of restaurants that prioritise style over substance, and so with an address as prestigious as this – the site of the former Dickens & Jones department store on Regent Street – you would be forgiven for assuming that Aqua Kyoto is yet another one for the list. True, the interior is decidedly swanky, with dark furnishings, heavyhanded splashes of crushed velvet, and a decked terrace boasting supreme city views. But the entrance is discreetly located on Argyll Street – a bonus for weary shoppers keen to retire from the area’s hubbub – and service is genuine and attentive. Looking as stylish as its surroundings, the sublime modern Japanese food flies out from the open-concept kitchen, with dishes such as tuna sashimi or charcoal-grilled lobster as diverse as they are generously portioned. Succulent beef tataki topped with bundles of chilli and citrus simply melts in the mouth; spinach with home-made sesame sauce is dished up artfully, and is so flavoursome that it’s easy to forget how good it is for you. There are some moderate twists thrown in by chef Shibuya Kenichi, like braised Iberico pork cheek with tomato and miso, but the food’s overall simplicity and traditional flavour range is what makes it shine – and what will guarantee its continued success in a city chock-full of designer eateries.