Miyama Mayfair

If you're tired of Japanese 'food' that turns out to be a series of miniscule novelty combinations of expensive ingredients from around the world, then this utterly traditional restaurant, with its Kimono-ed staff and fabulous sake, may be the place for you. Teapot chicken soup was a subtle, steaming mix of earthy umami flavours, and we were blown away by the quality of our unfashionably straightforward sushi - a real reminder of how simple food can be made extraordinary with the right ingredients and right chefs. A main course of eel grilled over charcoal was neither tough and astringent, nor slimy, just a melting mass that had absorbed all the flavours of its cooking, and still tasted gloriously fishy. Beef was impressively juicy, with a sticky, light teriyaki sauce.

Though not particularly cheap, this is excellent value, and a reminder of the qualities that first made Japanese cooking so fashionable. Traditional food made from great ingredients and cooked with care and intelligence. No wonder it's such a favourite with staff and diplomats from the nearby Japanese Embassy.