The May Fair

MAYFAIR. This well-known Japanese restaurant is famous for its fresh seafood dishes and its huge variety of noodles....

MAYFAIR. This well-known Japanese restaurant is famous for its fresh seafood dishes and its huge variety of noodles. Although the exterior looks unassuming (even nondescript) and the interior is almost equally simple, the prominence of Japanese patrons lets you know that the kitchen is skilled at authentic cooking. Sashimi is a specialty, and dishes like grilled eel, seafood teppanyaki, and hamachi keep aficionados coming back for more. TUBE: Green Park

Hours: Mon-Fri Noon-2:15pm, 6pm-10:15pm; Sat-Sun 6pm-10:15pm

Payment Methods: Visa , Master Card , American Express , Diner's Club , Other

ST. JAMES'S. This longtime Japanese favorite continues to thrive, thanks to a spacious interior, helpful service...

ST. JAMES'S. This longtime Japanese favorite continues to thrive, thanks to a spacious interior, helpful service (they'll even put your bib on for you), and excellent teppanyaki-style cooking. Lobster, duck, chicken and pork are all prepared in an authentic manner and with skill by entertaining chefs at large, yellow, U-shaped tables. When the meal is done, lights are turned down for the finale: fireball ice cream prepared amid Grand Marnier flames. TUBE: Green Park

Hours: Mon-Sat Noon-2:30pm, 6pm-10:30pm; Sun Noon-3pm, 6pm-10pm

Payment Methods: Visa , Master Card , American Express , Other

MAYFAIR. Kai is a top pick for first-class Chinese cuisine in an elegant environment. The Mayfair restaurant, with its...

MAYFAIR. Kai is a top pick for first-class Chinese cuisine in an elegant environment. The Mayfair restaurant, with its muted colors, offers a number of regional cuisines but specializes in Szechwan delicacies. The descriptive menu includes exotic dishes like black pepper ostrich and the popular "Parcels of Prosperity," flaky, deep-fried pastries filled with shrimp. The luxurious room features a giant fish tank, gilt-trimmed walls and thickly upholstered, gold-striped seating. TUBE: Bond Street or Marble Arch

Hours: Mon-Fri Noon-2pm, 6:30pm-10:30pm; Sat-Sun 12:30pm-2:30pm, 6:30pm-10pm

Payment Methods: Visa , Master Card , American Express , Other

MAYFAIR. This restaurant offers London's most extensive Japanese menu, although Latin and American influences are thrown...

MAYFAIR. This restaurant offers London's most extensive Japanese menu, although Latin and American influences are thrown in to create a truly original cuisine. Traditional favorites like sushi, sashimi and tempura are prepared with unique twists. Eel, for example, comes rolled in a pancake and served with lime, foie gras, and sweet potato noodles. Skewered tuna and tofu are topped with black bean sauce and "devil's tongue root paste." Robert De Niro is one of the owners, and you can expect something different in the cool, black, minimalist dining room. TUBE: Hyde Park Corner

Hours: Mon-Thu Noon-2:15pm, 6pm-10:15pm; Fri Noon-2:15pm, 6pm-11pm; Sat 12:30pm-2:30pm, 6pm-11pm; Sun 12:30pm-2:30pm, 6pm-10pm

Payment Methods: Visa , Master Card , American Express

MAYFAIR. This highly regarded Japanese restaurant offers an authentic, upscale experience that diners won't soon forget....

MAYFAIR. This highly regarded Japanese restaurant offers an authentic, upscale experience that diners won't soon forget. The menu features a wide range of deliciously exotic fare to suit just about any palate, from grilled teriyaki to hand-rolled sushi. The setting in the esteemed, Georgian-style Millennium Mayfair is comfortable and unpretentious, if a bit subterranean. TUBE: Bond Street

Hours: Tue-Sun 6pm-11pm

Payment Methods: Visa , Master Card , American Express , Other

OXFORD STREET. The best recommendation we can give Chisou is that it's one of the favourite eateries of the local...

OXFORD STREET. The best recommendation we can give Chisou is that it's one of the favourite eateries of the local Japanese community. With star dishes such as an exceptional miso soup and lamb in coconut curry, that's hardly surprising. Waiting times are famously short here, so it's very convenient to top off (or break up) a day's intensive shopping in Oxford Street.

Hours: Mon-Fri Noon-2:30pm, 6pm-10:30pm; Sat 12:30pm-2:30pm, 6pm-10:30pm

Payment Methods: Visa , Master Card , American Express , Other

SOHO. Hailed as one of the capital's finest restaurants, and sister to the famous Hakkasan, Yauatcha was among the...

SOHO. Hailed as one of the capital's finest restaurants, and sister to the famous Hakkasan, Yauatcha was among the forerunners adding dim sum on the London menu. The selection is outstanding, from ocean-fresh hargau to plump seabass dumplings and a mesmeric silver cod. Choose carefully and an evening here could be close to affordable, too. The stylish, metropolitan interiors embrace giant fish tanks. Yauatcha also makes for an attractive afternoon tea destination, complete with its delectable pastries and cakes.

Hours: Mon-Sat Noon-11:45pm; Sun Noon-10:30pm

Payment Methods: Visa , Master Card , American Express , Other

SOHO. Widely regarded as one of Soho's more intriguing dining options - reflected in the always-lengthy queues to get in...

SOHO. Widely regarded as one of Soho's more intriguing dining options - reflected in the always-lengthy queues to get in - Busaba offers a stark change of pace from the other Soho establishments. The dining room features a pronounced minimalist scheme, with dark wood paneling and benches, slatted blinds, and paper-shaded pendants. The menu features delicious fare for patrons-on-the-move, including noodle dishes, curries, rice entrees, pad thai, and delicacies like char-grilled swordfish.

Hours: Mon-Thu Noon-11pm; Fri-Sat Noon-11:30pm; Sun Noon-10pm

Payment Methods: Visa , Master Card , American Express , Other

CHINATOWN. One of Chinatown's stars since the mid-'60s, classy Fung Shing appeals to folks who appreciate impeccable...

CHINATOWN. One of Chinatown's stars since the mid-'60s, classy Fung Shing appeals to folks who appreciate impeccable service and divine Cantonese fare. From the outside, the cozy eatery's blue-framed exterior looks more like an English pub than a Chinese restaurant ­ until you spot the golden script overhead that reads, "Specialists in Cantonese Cuisine." Menu highlights include roasts, hot-pot stews, Peking duck, and even more exotic dishes like spicy eel and fried baby squid stuffed with chili and garlic. TUBE: Leicester Square

Hours: Daily Noon-11:30pm

Payment Methods: Visa , Master Card , American Express , Other

MAYFAIR. This London-based chain has cultivated a fervent following, thanks to a unique concept and satisfying food....

MAYFAIR. This London-based chain has cultivated a fervent following, thanks to a unique concept and satisfying food. Choices appeal to any appetite and budget, and although folks often arrive starving, a bowl of savory moyashi saien, full of vegetables and noodles, challenges even the most ambitious appetite. Wagamama seats everyone together at long, cafeteria-sized tables, and orders are sent to the kitchen via computer. Healthy, fresh-squeezed juice mixtures or Japanese beers are available, and ramen dishes are wonderful, as is the gyoza appetizer. Slurping is encouraged. A top pick. TUBE: Bond Street or Marble Arch

Hours: Mon-Sat 11:30am-11pm; Sun Noon-10pm

Payment Methods: Visa , Master Card , American Express , Other