Where Mayfair’s Bruton Place quietly intersects with Bruton Street sits UMU, one of the capital’s finest high-end Japanese restaurants. Revealing a sophisticated interior from behind a large, hidden wooden door (which at first glance you’d be forgiven for missing), this year UMU has plenty of reasons to celebrate. Firstly the restaurant has retained its coveted Michelin star, and secondly has celebrated two decades in a city with a relentlessly competitive dining scene.
With this taken into consideration, one wet summer evening I made my way to Mayfair and pushed aside the secluded door to sample UMU’s new summer ‘Kaiseki’ (multi-course) menu. Celebrating lighter, seasonal produce from across the British Isles, from the best summertime vegetables to Cornish line-caught fish and Welsh lamb.
UMU is a restaurant that has made its mark on the English capital’s culinary scene by pushing the boundaries of traditional Kyoto gastronomy. Offering discerning Londoners immersive dining experiences that embody Japan’s rich culinary repertoire, the concept here is built upon a respect for authentic Kyoto cuisine, specifically the philosophy of sourcing behind it.
With an ethos that shines a spotlight on seasonality, presentation, and the use of high-quality, locally sourced ingredients, executive chef Ryo Kamatsu works with British producers to ensure the restaurant withholds these values from source to plate. While taking sustainability into consideration at every step with ethical sourcing, each menu created at UMU by chef Ryo also features details from his distinctive Argentinian-Japanese heritage, adding an interesting quirk to this ever-successful Mayfair restaurant.
We begin this special summer Kaiseki menu with glasses of champagne to whet our palates, filled with anticipation. Various pairings are available to choose from, including wine or sake, to simply sparkling up to the ‘prestige’ wine or sake pairings for the full fine-dining Japanese experience that UMU does best. The first course aka ‘Mukozuke’ translating as ‘placed to the side’ is a fresh and decadent mix of fish including Tokoroten (a traditional Japanese gelatine dish) served with hasuimo the ‘giant elephant ear’ or Indian taro green plant and shiso leaves with fresh Cornish lobster. This first dish comes together as an exciting mix of exotic Japanese ingredients, blended with the wonderfully familiar British.
This theme continues with a gorgeous light and exceedingly tasty ‘fine clear soup’ which surpasses the far from exciting description made with seabass, courgette and yuzu followed by the ‘Tsukuri’ or the sashimi course with langoustine, red seabream and tuna. From a plate of fresh raw cuts to ‘Agemono’ the Japanese answer to tempura – a fried tail fish served with crystal salt and amadai fish sauce.
Chef Ryo’s dedication to tradition and innovation further continues with the ‘Yakimono’ or grilled lamb dish sourced from Welsh farmers, served with smoked aubergine, gobo, and a pine nut miso which I believe is a must for any lamb lovers. This is proceeded by ‘Gohan’ an egg rice dish with a scallop chazuke – a simple Japanese dish made by pouring green tea, dashi, or hot water over cooked rice. UMU’s Kaiseki menu concludes with an inventive dessert they have coined the sweetcorn parade, a brilliant dish making me re-think why sweetcorn and ice cream don’t usually come as an item.
Having honed his culinary skills at the prestigious two Michelin-starred Kaiseki Ichimonji in Tokyo, chef Ryo is the master behind UMU’s offering that is both authentic and creative. Developing his concept of Izakaya dining that invites diners to stay, drink and enjoy, he continues to push the boundaries with exciting new menus that reinterpret the concept of Japanese food in exciting ways that look to the future, whilst importantly honoring the past.
No Japanese fine-dining experience is not without its sake collection. Here at UMU discover a lengthy list of premium options that has been selected by head sommelier Ryan Johnson. A local Londoner, it is Ryan’s passion for Japanese culture that led him to UMU back in 2016 when he worked with former sommelier Ryosuke Mashio.
His dedication to the culture of sake and how it elevates the Japanese dining experience is apparent in his impressive list that features many breweries Ryan has personally spent time at. Examples include vintage producer Kuheiji in Aichi and Souhomare in Tochigi who specialises in the ancient Kimoto brewing that creates the distinct smooth, dry character that pairs so excellently with the Japanese dishes chef Ryo crafts in the kitchen.
Factbox
Address: 14-16 Bruton Pl, London W1J 6LX
Phone: 020 7499 8881
Website: umurestaurant.com
