Seamless Japanese cuisine at Dinings

A dream

A seamless blend of the modern and the traditional Japanese is what makes this restaurant appealing from the get-go. Following their dreams and passion for thoroughly Izayaka Japanese food, co-owners Tomonari Chiba and Keiji Fuku sought to create a cosy, intimate space to serve customers this carefully mastered cuisine. What makes this food so different though is the crafty usage of traditionally European ingredients and flavours to maximise the uniqueness of this experience. Picture a modern Asian-European household and you’d be halfway to Dinings. 

Overwhelming the senses with its variety of choice, it is undoubtedly the menu that keeps happy customers returning. Priding themselves on the ability to continue exceeding the boundaries of Japanese dishes, Dinings use a range of seasonal suppliers throughout the year to bring only the best of Izakaya tapas and sushi to your tables. Despite the clear authenticity of Japanese cuisine in each plate, Dinings also incorporates European ingredients to experiment and play with the tastes and textures crafted, making each combination of flavours more daring than the last. Although this does include multiple menu changes and slightly higher prices, the experience that is promised in return is one to not be missed. It is these seasonal changes and attention to detail with each dish served that makes Dinings on Harcourt Street one of the most popular small restaurants in the English capital.

Expertly crafted

The concept of the service and quiet space at Dinings has been refined and specially honed to make diners feel relaxed, away from the rush of the busy London streets, providing a chance to savour the delicious taste until you’re ready to leave. In almost two decades of high quality food and service, Dinings has established a unique and individualised style of service and a culture of ease and peace that makes eating here a pleasurable experience for any customer. 

The menu has been crafted to suit sushi lovers as well as those who favour the gourmet Japanese fusion of flavour and textures. For those who prefer sushi and sashimi dishes, you’re in for a real treat. Spoiling you for choice, this side of the menu offers a range of seafood sushi rolls, including tuna and mackerel with ginger oroshi, to less commonly found fresh water eel (served with truffle and soy) and black tiger shrimp, blanched with jalapeño mayo (we told you the ingredients had the ability to transport you to the villages of Japan). There is also a selection of vegetable sushi that is crafted equally as exquisitely.

If sushi and sashimi isn’t quite to your taste, Dinings also specialises in a range of Izayaka tapas; dishes that the owners originally sought to bring to the palettes of London. These include hot and cold plates, nibbles and soups, encompassing an array of dietary requirements. Cold tapas include Akami Tuna Tataki, Seabass Carpaccio or, our personal favourite, the Wagyu Beef Tataki with the Porchini Ponzu, adding a woody flavouring to die for.

Immersive experience 

But the Dinings experience doesn’t end there. Offering bookable, show-stopping live demonstrations of the food preparation for small groups, where you get the chance to see the journey of the food from pastry to dish, (or in our case, to belly), Dinings takes care to step beyond the conventions of standard dining. Or book a private sushi making classes for you and friends or family, and enjoy wearing the chef’s hat for a day. To fully immerse yourself in Dinings’ culinary craft, experience one of these special events and you will begin understand the language of the food that is made there.

Dinings is in a league of its own when it comes to the food it serves to happy mouths, the eclectic combination of European and Japanese authenticity a rare find in London. But the additional care that the staff puts into this brilliant experience is what keeps customers returning with newbies. So why not, for your next special occasion, wear your Sunday best and dine in at Dinings.