With the second longest life expectancy Japan, perhaps unsurprisingly, has the most three-starred Michelin restaurants in the world. (Well, joint first place with France, but whatever). We’d recommend making a pilgrimage there in person but, for obvious reasons, we can’t right now.
Rest assured, you can forget the travel insurance. May we introduce to you Dinings SW3. Housed in a Grade-I listed building down a cobbled Knightsbridge mews, Dinings SW3 is home to some of the finest Japanese cuisine London has to offer, and yup, you guessed it – they’ve taken the classic pandemic pivot to bring its dishes to your doors.
Headed up by Executive Chef Masaki Sugisaki, Dinings SW3 at Home celebrates a new style of evolved Izakaya-cooking – think Japanese tapas, but with a modern European twist.
Plus if you’re the sort of person who finds themselves um-ming and ah-ing over takeaway menus for an amount of time that has your housemates in dismay, then this decadent Michelin meal box will certainly take that stress away...
What’s in the box?
Sushi is one of life's little pleasures, and then you’ve got Ceviche. The older sophisticated Aunt. A whole different kettle of fish...
Enter dish number one: Yuzu Kosho cured line-caught sea bass Ceviche accompanied with cured heritage tomatoes, delicate shallots, organic char caviar and coriander cress – all drenched in a rich, lemony Ceviche sauce.
How something so simple can also be so sweet, salty, fishy and fresh, truly sets the standard and we’re left feeling lighter than a warm sunny day.
Ceviche
Next up, Wagyu beef carpaccio – this dish is all about the aesthetics and reveals the magic of Japanese style plating persuading you to eat with your eyes.
The thinly sliced meat is already divided into eight perfect squares so you can add an individual dollop of truffle salsa, ponzu jelly and truffle ponzu to each section before garnishing with Nastergium leaves. Boujee huh? And totally lip-smackingly delicious.
Wagyu beef carpaccio
The potted native lobster mini slider is appetiser number three, and includes the most electric Yuzu aioli, pickled shallots, onions and romaine lettuce. Two bites and sadly, it’s game over.
We should take the time here to mention that all the ingredients are carefully and clearly measured out, even down to the one individually wrapped romaine lettuce leaf.
Lobster mini-slider
Finally, for the main we have Scottish caught Salmon Teriyaki, which, requiring just a mere eight minutes in the oven, is the first time we’ve had to resort to any kind of heat, and the accompanying Cavolo Nero with Moromi miso sauce is the perfect playful treat.
Salmon Teriyaki
What’s the verdict?
All dishes are small, delicate and utterly delicious. It's fair to say, you won’t go to bed hungry. And nor should you at £150 for two.
With literally nothing else to do except separate your chopsticks, this Michelin meal kit is the ultimate in fine dining simplicity.
Special occasion? Why not upgrade to their Celebration kit featuring a whole grilled potted native lobster, or show your mum how much you love her with their exclusive 'Kokonoe' Temaki Bento Box.
Better yet, all options are available for nationwide delivery, Monday through to Friday.
Thank heavens for small mercies.
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For more info, see Dinings SW3
