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Food + Drink

Celebrate The Japanese Culinary Art Of Yakitori At Junsei

Junsei, where the flavours and techniques of Japanese culinary tradition and the elegance of London’s fine dining join forces.

Celebrating the art of yakitori, a traditional dish in Japan since the Meiji Restoration in the late 19th century, Junsei serves a creative menu of yakitori, kushiyaki, and small plates – omakase style – curated by chef Aman Lakhiani and chef Zach Farr. Refined and exciting all at once, Junsei creatively encapsulates the excitement of London’s restaurant scene, where a short stroll through Marylebone can quickly whisk you away to the vibrant backstreets of Tokyo, Osaka, or Kyoto. Succulent skewers crackle on open fires amongst clouds of smoke, and the clinking of cheering glasses and beeping of passing traffic add to just the right amount of atmosphere for a memorable dinner.

In partnership with Junsei


The Lowdown

On a quiet street in Marylebone lies Junsei. It’s hard to imagine the enigmatic energy inside the restaurant as chefs cook over an open grill and guests tuck into colourful displays of sharing plates from the unsuspecting exterior, until you step inside. Taking reference from the sophisticated minimalism of Japan’s world-famous restaurant scene, with sleek seating overlooking the open kitchen, beautiful stone crockery and plenty of light wood finishings, Junsei’s interiors have been artfully designed to carry the welcoming yet refined atmosphere of the spot itself.

Helmed by chef Aman Lakhiani and chef Zach Farr previously from the critically acclaimed Torishin in New York, Junsei is the first restaurant venture by the founders, who have since opened up international outposts in Indonesia with exciting plans for further expansion. This success comes as no surprise as soon as you start to enjoy the menu…


What To Order

While yakitori is the compound word for ‘to grill’ (‘yaki’) and bird (‘tori’), this delicacy is so much more than chicken skewers. Historically, chicken represented luxury in Japan, reserved for fine dining affairs – like Junsei is – and so the whole bird (from the wings to the skin) was prepared and cooked with care. Whether you are an experimental diner or not, these skewers are worth pushing yourself slightly outside of your dining comfort zone. In fact, some of the best skewers are the ones that rarely make menus because chefs leave these scraps of meat for themselves, starting strong with the chicken oyster, also known as the love handle of the chicken as it is the juiciest part of the bird. It’s so delicious that it’s garnered its French nickname “sot-l’y-laisse” meaning “only a fool leaves behind” and is only served with a slice of lemon to accompany the chargrill flavour.

One of Junsei’s signature dishes is the skewer marinated in a sauce that is 50 years old, compiled from all of the scraps of meat and chicken bone, boiled down into a thick stock that is added to and stirred daily. Trying this dish is like tasting the original in Japan, inherited by generations where undiscovered culinary artisans cooked and enjoyed the art of dining together down popular side streets.

Other menu highlights include the grilled okra with bonito flakes, made from charred freeze-dried bonito fish that elegantly move and curl around the warm okra. Across the full menu at Junsei, you’ll enjoy nothing but the very finest ingredients cooked and prepared by award-winning chefs; even the rice took over ten producers before the chefs settled on the perfect grain.

We recommend opting for the omakase, where you’ll leave the choice of yakitori, kushiyaki (vegetarian grilled skewers), and small plates up to the excellent chefs in front of you, with excellent drink pairings by Junsei’s sommelier. Over the course of a couple of hours, you’ll meander through the very best parts of the menu in an order that complements the flavours best, that arrive via ingredients ranging from quail egg to chicken heart, served with a delicate dish of Daikon Oroshi as a palate cleanser between courses.

To accompany the yakitori, Junsei offers delicious kushiyaki (grilled skewers) of charred padron peppers, eryingi mushroom, quail eggs, and tofu, to balance out the meat-focussed flavours, as well as small bites inspired by Japanese Izakya, of braised ramen with miso duck ragu, ume duck breast served with squash, and a luxurious lobster Shibuya toast. Each plate is presented elegantly, such as a the rainbow trout tartare sliced over a perfectly crisp fried chicken skin and served on a cold black stone in a small ceramic bowl for a visual feast as indulgent as the flavours the dishes behold.


Who To Bring

This is s a “remember that time when …” kind of restaurant, where you can experience a new style of dining and flavour combinations together. As an intimate spot on the edge of Marylebone, reserve Junsei as a place to take your favourite people rather than a spot to please the crowds (though pleasing is what it does best).

A seat at the bar overlooking the chefs’ kitchen is one of the most covetable spots in London for a solo dining date, so there’s no need to wait for a friend either, especially with the generous and friendly chefs around to chat to, as they waft smoke over the open grills with their wooden fans.


The Dress Code

Come as you are. Flavour and atmosphere take centre stage at Junsei, and you’ll experience both in plenty, so there’s no need to worry about anything else.


All photo credit: Junsei

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