Photography by Steve Lee
Photography by Palida Boonyarungsrit
What's the draw
Jun Tanaka cut his cheffing teeth with an apprenticeship at Le Gavroche before rising through the ranks in eight top-notch kitchens, eventually becoming executive chef at Holborn's Pearl. This is his first restaurant that's all his own, though (hence the name), with French-Mediterranean-style sharing plates and deconstructed, brick-and-metal interiors.
What to drink
We wet our whistle with the house cocktail – a refreshing concoction of Hendrick's, elderflower, lemon and apple juice – before getting acquainted with the extensive wine list. There's something to cater for all budgets, from a light, crisp 2014 sauvignon blanc from the Les Fleurs de Montblanc winery in, er, Montblanc to a 2012 corton-charlemagne grand cru from Charles Van Canneyt – clearly showing Tanaka's love of all things French.
What to eat
OK, so we'll admit we went a bit overboard, but it was all in the name of research, alright? Here's the low-down: barbajuans (empanada-style parcels of spinach, ricotta and pine nuts) and oxtail croquettes were delicious little teasers of the feast to come; pickled mussels and razor clam ceviche were fresh and perky, making it clear why Tanaka's so well known for his raw and cured dishes; salted beef cheeks and buttery lemon sole showcased his skill at updating the classics. The hands-down winner, though, was the beetroot tarte tatin, which was so good we even got the recipe. An apple tart rounded things off very nicely indeed – and was worth it for the accompanying rosemary ice cream alone.
Dinner and drinks for two, about £80; theninthlondon.com.
