Tombo Den

Tombo Den reflects a version of Tokyo that Chris Lucas (Kisume, Yakimono) remembers from the ’90s. The restaurateur lived and worked in Japan for three years, and fell in love with the food. The long, narrow restaurant blends elegance and modernity with immersive and slightly subversive elements.

Sit downstairs in the booth seating or at the extra-long 26-seater sushi bar that runs down one side of the room and watch the deft techniques of the sushi chefs. Ascend the stairs to the cocktail lounge and sit on fluffy blue Nanda Vigo Blocco cubes that transform into chairs as you sink into them. Or enter the Mondrian-esque red glass doors to the karaoke lounge.

Market-fresh sushi, sashimi and nigiri have their own daily menu. Plus, find small plates like duck hambagu (hamburger steak) with tare egg yolk and spring onion. There is Sapporo flatbread with wasabi cream and a handful of hand rolls. Larger plates from the hibachi grill include the charcoal chicken thighs, served with pickles and lettuce to make your own bite. There are changing Japanese ice-cream flavours, and brûléed dark chocolate mousse with sesame.

To drink, find classic cocktails with a Tombo Den touch – sake or Japanese citrus – like the Negroni made with plum and Sakura, and the Martini made with gin and sake served in a Japanese ceramic cup. There is a range of sake, an extensive whisky and over 30 local and international but predominantly small-producer wines by the glass.

Sleek yet tactile, the design elements – from the textures of the furnishings to the ambient lighting – were chosen to engage the senses and create an immersive dining environment. Local artist Tom Blachford’s large-scale AI-generated Japanese film noir photography-style works hang on the walls. They depict the dark, brooding mood of late-night Tokyo.