Junsei Places the Spotlight on Yakitori 

Indulge in all things skewered at one of Marylebone’s hottest restaurants. Junsei, on Seymour Place, is the epitome of Japanese elegance. Serving nutritious, authentic dishes with a zero-waste ethos.

The finest Japanese cooking techniques and ingredients

Chef Patron Aman Lakhiani gained his expert knowledge and honed his skills while training at Tokyo’s Tsukiji Sushi Academy. This was followed by a period perfecting these techniques at the Michelin starred Japanese restaurant, Dos Palillos in Barcelona. And now, Lakhiani brings his culinary excellence to Marylebone.

A zero-waste ethos

Yakitori means ‘grilled bird’ and offers a more sustainable way to consume meat, as the cooking genre uses every part of the animal, resulting in zero-waste. But plant-based diners can also get in on the action, with kushiyaki vegetable skewers, elevated donabe (rice) bowls, and seasonal Japanese hot plates on the menu. Junsei’s skewers are carefully seasoned and delicately cooked over Binchōtan charcoal; a white variety made from Japanese oak that’s considered to be the purest charcoal in the world. Turned at high heat, yakitori cooks from the inside out, providing a juicy succulent texture and drawing out the distinctive flavours of each part of the chicken and vegetables.  

Skewers, sharing plates and traditionally prepared rice bowls

Guests can enjoy organic slow-reared Suffolk birds, including the breast, leg, heart; crispy skin, wing, neck, tenderloin, liver and even the gizzard. Each yakitori skewer is precisely sliced and then coated in a house tare (a combination of aged soy sauce, sake, mirin and sugar) or shio (salt), before being grilled over the Binchōtan. The coating allows the yakitori to gently caramelise, resulting in a delicious, unique taste experience. 

Those eschewing meat can still order yakitori, choosing from shiitake mushrooms, soy-marinated quail eggs, or fried tofu with ginger and spring onions. 

There are also sharing plates such as sea scallop with trumpet mushroom, miso mussels, and A5 wagyu rib cap, as well as chicken, sea bream or vegetable rice donabe, which is cooked using a traditional Japanese clay pot. 

Japanese-inspired cocktails

There’s also a large range of sake and shochu, including Tamagawa “Red Label” Heirloom Yamahai  Genshu (the only sake made by an English sake master). An Asian-inspired cocktail menu includes Gin^2, a frozen City of London Gin Granita with a gin foam and lemon; and a Bincho Sour crafted using whisky soda, house-made plum syrup, and jam created by General Manager, Rizwan Khan. 

Expect the unexpected with omakase

Alternatively, diners can choose to take a more surprising culinary adventure, where the chef is in control. Omakase, meaning “I’ll leave it up to you”, is the Japanese tradition of letting the chef plan the entire meal. Lakhiani asks guests taking this option to expect the unexpected as they watch the chefs at work from prime bar-style seating beside the kitchen. Omakase consists of twelve seasonal courses including limited-edition skewers. Optional cocktail, wine and sake pairings are recommended for those wishing to immerse in the full Junsei experience.

Sophisticated interiors

This is all served surrounded by smart yet minimalist interior features. Japanese artwork, light oak flooring, grey leather chairs and brass finishes are found throughout, with the centerpiece – the chef’s table – swathed in golden light. 

Details

Junsei is open Wednesday to Sunday for dinner and Friday to Sunday for dinner and lunch and is included in our guide to the best restaurants in London.