The Team Behind Dorian Is Opening A Hotly-Anticipated New Restaurant
Chris D’Sylva, the restaurateur behind some of Notting Hill‘s most in-demand tables, is expanding his west London portfolio once again with the launch of Nakimushi, a new Japanese restaurant bringing together two of the neighbourhood’s cult dining concepts under one roof.
Opening this September in a townhouse on Kensington Mall, Nakimushi marks the permanent arrival of Urchin and Robin’s Ramen, two residencies that built devoted followings during their runs at Supermarket of Dreams. Their move into a dedicated restaurant is likely to be one of the season’s most anticipated openings for London’s restaurant crowd.
D’Sylva has quietly become one of the defining figures behind Notting Hill’s transformation into one of the capital’s most exciting dining destinations. Since opening the Notting Hill Fish & Meat Shop in 2019, he has gone on to launch neighbourhood grocer Supermarket of Dreams, Michelin-starred Dorian and, more recently, intimate omakase counter Eel Sushi, each reinforcing the area’s reputation as one of London’s hottest food neighbourhoods.
The layout
Nakimushi will occupy three floors, offering two distinct experiences. On the ground floor, a lively ramen bar will centre around chef Robin Kosuge’s signature noodle bowls served from an open kitchen. Upstairs, diners can expect a broader menu of contemporary Japanese cooking, combining seasonal British produce with robata grilling and refined Japanese techniques.
The kitchen will be led by Kosuge, formerly of Dominique Ansel Paris and Kouzu, alongside Yuji Shimokawa Kelly, whose previous experience includes Umu and Dorian. Together, the pair are turning two of London’s best-loved pop-up concepts into a permanent destination.
The ramen bar’s menu will include lobster ramen, chashu pork belly ramen made with Basque chicken broth and ajitama, plus snacks such as hogget skewers with yuzu kosho labneh and pork and lobster gyoza with cauliflower and chilli oil.
Upstairs, the menu shifts towards more ambitious sharing dishes, including coal-grilled Welsh lobster chazuke finished with lobster and tomato oil, alongside aged Yorkshire Black Holstein beef cooked over the robata and served with artichoke sauce, beef jus, kimizu and angel hair fries.
One to watch
Like D’Sylva’s other ventures, Nakimushi will continue to champion British producers, sourcing ingredients from a trusted network of farmers, fishermen and suppliers. With Japanese restaurants continuing to dominate London’s dining conversation, and Notting Hill cementing its place as one of the city’s most exciting food neighbourhoods, Nakimushi looks set to be one of the capital’s restaurant openings to watch this autumn.
Nakimushi opens this September at 17 Mall Chambers, Kensington Mall, London W8.
