What: A 10-seat Japanese restaurant in Marylebone. Roketsu is billed as an authentic kaiseki restaurant, offering 10-courses for £190. Kaiseki is somewhat analogous to Western haute cuisine and is designed to showcase seasonal ingredients and the skills of the chef over multiple courses.
Who: Daisuke Hayashi. Roketsu’s chef patron trained at renowned Kyoto kaiseki restaurant Kikunoi, which holds three Michelin stars. The restaurant manager is Kenichi Kakuta, who is well-suited to the role having overseen the launch of Hakkasan Group’s Chrysan and Sake no Hana restaurants. More recently, he has consulted for several high profile Japanese openings including Kouzu, Japan House London and Tokimeite. Drinks are overseen by sommelier Ryosuke Mashio, who prior to Roketsu spent 13 years as head sommelier at Umu in Mayfair.
The vibe: Made in Kyoto and shipped piece-by-piece to London, Roketsu’s interior is a stunning example of Japan’s Sukiya architectural style. The pared back interior has been created by Yoshiaki Nakamura, the son of globally renowned Japanese architect Sotoji Nakamura. An additional downstairs private dining room seating six people will open next month.
The food: Guests can expect to be taken on ‘a journey through unique and innovative dishes which each draw from Japanese tradition yet incorporate Western techniques’. The menu changes every month but currently includes the likes of house-smoked chalk stream trout, horseradish miso and walnut; Cornish crab, pear, air dried onion, carrot, fennel, yuzu, dill; and parsnip with quail and truffle. Meals take three hours meaning the maximum number of covers per service is 16.
To drink: Over 70 sakes are available including two sakes imported exclusively for the restaurant – Kikunoi and Echigoryu - as well as over 20 available by the glass. Alongside this, Roketsu offers a 350-bin wine list. The standard sake and wine pairing menu is £95 but there is also a more premium option (£200) and a non-alcoholic option (£75).
And another thing: Umu - which once held two Michelin stars and now holds one - may take issue with Roketsu’s claim that it is London’s first and only kaiseki restaurant.
12 New Quebec St, London W1H 7RF
