Japanese restaurant Murakami to launch in January

The 170-cover venue, including 40 in a private dining room, will serve a selection of Japanese cuisine including tempura, robatayaki, sushi and sashimi.

Signature dishes will include Yellowtail carpaccio with chili, ponzu and pickled garlic dressing, smoked eel and avocado salad, Golden Dragon roll, smoked eel with yuzu and tobiko roll, and oven-baked scallops with broccoli and kimchi sauce.

The food will also be available for takeaway from the end of January.

The restaurant will also have a cocktail menu, designed by Shrub and Shutter, and a large selection of Japanese whisky.

Design​

“When entering the restaurant customers eyes will be drawn to the 12 square metre living wall, a key focal point of the restaurant. The aesthetic plays homage to the five elements of Japanese philosophy, with fire from the robata grill, water from the selection of fresh fish served, earth from the stunning stoneware crockery sourced from Japan wind from the beautiful plants, and sky from the friendly and fun atmosphere,” said operations director Maria Korobko.

She added that the team first wants to see how this venue goes, but a roll-out was something they would consider “later down the line”.
Japanese trend​

Japanese restaurants are still going from strength to strength​​ in the capital, with the opening of Yashin Ocean House in South Kensington and the new Japanese Canteens last summer.

More recently, Japanese-Peruvian concept Amaru​​ announced its upcoming opening on St Katharine’s Docks in early January.

To learn about Japanese knife techniques, watch this katsuramuki (Japanese radish peeling) video filmed at Yashin Ocean House​​.