Roka

With branches in Macau, Hong Kong and Arizona, Roka is on an international mission to bring contemporary Japanese food to the world. The London outpost - sister also to Zuma (see entry) - is in the area north of Oxford Street, where media folk come out to play. You can't miss the full-drop glass frontage. Centre-stage within is the robatayaki bar, where you can keep an eye on the barbecue chefs doing their stuff, but there are traditional restaurant tables too. The service is upbeat and helpful, so don't be afraid to show any uncertainty. As well as the robata dishes, there is a substantial menu of light bites, sushi, sashimi and salads, allowing for random-order nibbling, as well as some innovative desserts. Technical skills are superb, and timings of the cooked items are spot-on. Sea bream fillet cooked on the charcoal grill and dressed in miso and red onion is full of flavour and impact, the baby back ribs of pork come with a spicy glaze and cashews, while the assorted vegetable tempura are impeccably crisp. The zinging freshness of the maki rolls, the soft-shell crab and other shellfish are offset with piquant dressings of lime and soy, and gyoza dumplings of pork and scallop, flash-fried on one side, are nothing short of stunning.

5 min walk from Goodge St
Nearest station: Goodge St/Tottenham Court Rd

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