Dinings SW3 - Chelsea, London

When the original Dinings arrived in Marylebone it immediately established itself as one of the top Japanese restaurants in the capital, carving out a new genre in 'neo-izakaya', establishing itself as competition to Roka, Zuma and Nobu and becoming the sleeper hit of 2006. Eleven years later the ownership decided to open their second London restaurant (there's another in Tel Aviv), opting for the leafy environs of Chelsea and choosing the Grade I listed site that formerly housed Toto's. 

Prior to Toto's it was an artist's studio and a large one at that. Upon entering and walking past the reception team and a smattering of tables upstairs, you'll soon find yourself at the brink of a mezzanine balcony that opens up into a chic and lofty dining area which has been outfitted with massive floor-to-ceiling windows, letting in natural light from across the courtyard. In the room itself there's a large island outfitted with sushi bar and robata grill, and on the opposing side a heavy wooden fireplace that will make itself useful during the winter months. 

After taking our seat amongst a svelte west London crowd and ordering an excellent bottle of Konishi Gold Daiginjo sake, we were given some helpful guidance by or waiter who was instrumental in navigating Dinings' extensive menu. The meal kicked off with tar-tarchips - which are shaped like miniature tacos and imbued with delicious fillings such as toro with jalapeno mayonnaise; wagyu beef and chilli miso, and scallops with a spicy taramo sauce. Soon after the best dish of the night arrived: hay seared toro tataki topped with dashi flavoured foie gras mousse. An exercise in both richness and elegance, the tuna belly found its soulmate in the foie. 

However, that's not to say that there weren't many other excellent dishes. The agedashi tofu with uma-dashi sauce was a piping hot work of art, and one of the most reasonably priced dishes on the menu. A visit to Dinings wouldn't be complete without availing yourself of their sushi options. Freshwater eel with pan-fried foie gras and sweet soy sauce took no prisoners, but we were perhaps more blown away by the selection of nigiri, which were some of the best we've sampled in Britain. 

Dinings is destination dining at its finest. And if you can't get a table at the original Marylebone site or want a setting with a little more sheen, you know where to go. 

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