The Aubrey at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park

Japanese izakaya imitations are popping up all over London at the moment, but none do it better – surely – than The Aubrey, a self-titled ‘eccentric’ adaption of the pub-style, Japanese drinking den. This is the Mandarin Oriental Hotel’s newest dining addition and you can bet it gets the same opulent treatment as the rest of the building: a dusky red glow covers almost every surface it can, from plush velvet seating to the tassle trim on each lampshade. The mood is set and it’s unquestionably lavish.  

We start with one of its seasonal cocktails - well, seasonal in Japan our waiter clarified - a strawberry-tinted twist on a margarita that was fruity and tangy in all the right places. Tread carefully though. The drinks are fantastic but you’ll pay 20-something quid for a modestly sized glass of its finely-balanced creations. 

Plates arrived in a considered order, starting with cold, picky items and working towards its signature robata grill dishes. While a pretty-looking sushi platter and oysters served over ice were perfectly fine and worthy of a picture, we’d urge you to divert your attention to anything fresh from the flames. Blackened miso cod was one of the most delicious things we tried, rich with heady umami flavour and fall-apart soft. A questionable-looking bowl of charcoal fried chicken was crisp, fatty and served with the perfect partner, yuzu mayonnaise, while slivers of marinated pork delivered flavour we never thought it capable of. A gloriously rich bowl of wagyu oxtail fried rice was self-indulgently crowned with a chunk of bone marrow which our waiter expertly scooped out and stirred through the dish.  

Dessert was billed as a white chocolate miso souffle, although we couldn’t really taste either of those distinctions. But no matter, the rest of the meal was awesome, although you’ll need to dig deep into your pockets to experience it.

The Mandarin Oriental is a truly lavish hotel is situated between the Royal Park and Knightsbridge, surrounded by history. One of the hotel's restaurants - the gastronomic history-focused Dinner by Heston Blumenthal - has garnered two Michelin stars, making it a world-famous culinary destination too. The multi-million pound restoration has seen the rooms, suites and public areas redesigned by the award-winning designer Joyce Wang, while the Spa, restaurants and bar were supervised by New York designer Adam Tihany. 

The hotel's other restaurant, Bar Boulud, has closed and its replacement is The Aubrey, which is the first UK venture of the highly successful Maximal Concepts group. Maximal Concepts, primarily based in Hong Kong, is helmed by Malcolm Wood, Xuan Mu and Matt Reid. The company has created some of Hong Kong's favourite restaurants and brands like Mott 32, which now has sites all over the world, each with a unique interior also designed by Joyce Wang. 

The Aubrey is an izakaya bar (izakaya, translated literally, means "stay-drink-place", and is typically used to describe casual bars that offer a variety of small dishes and snacks to accompany alcoholic drinks). The menu at The Aubrey showcases a variety of traditional Japanese cooking techniques and uses sustainable, locally-sourced British produce. The Aubrey's two bars offer creative cocktails that promise to immerse visitors in Japanese culture. 

The Aubrey is open all day, with lunch and afternoon tea on offer. Lively evenings, however, are the main event here. A truly versatile destination, this venue is perfect for family celebrations, a catch-up with an old friend over drinks or a romantic date. Regardless of the reason for your visit, you can be sure it will be one to remember, steeped in Japanese art and cuisine, nestled inside one of London's premier hotels. For more information, visit their website or check out their Instagram to see the latest updates.