Zuma (Bar, Restaurant)

room, sushi counter and robata grill are also on offer; each providing a distinct dining experience. The adjoining sake bar and lounge exists for those simply wishing to sip from the 30 varieties of sake available here. A decor of wooden screens, granite pillars and sunken tables lit subtly by gauze lamps is wonderfully understated so as not to distract from the only indulgence here that competes with the food: people watching. For this is a space where the chicly-clad clientele understand the art of being seen.

In contrast the waiting staff are deceptively invisible but instantly on hand when needed. There's no unnecessary pandering or flourish, you are simply left to enjoy all that's on offer which enhances the sense that Zuma is innately at ease with the quality it provides. We opted for a Babette's feast approach, sampling a range of smoothly dispatched delicacies on earthenware ceramics. Highlights included thinly sliced seabass with yuzu, truffle oil and salmon roe and crispy fried squid with green chilli salt. But it's unlikely you'll be disappointed with anything you order. And no visit to Zuma is complete without trying the marinated black cod wrapped in hoba leaf - a hotly contested dish with origins at Nobu that sparked a culinary conflict when the chef was poached by Zuma's proprietors and took the dish with him. Even the scandal here is delicious.

Zuma, in London's Knightsbridge, ticks all the boxes of a truly great Japanese restaurant by serving back pared back aesthetics and a cutting-edge menu. They say the best things in life are free but you'll be happy to hand over your credit card for this indulgence. And there's not a potato in sight.