Onima

Onima’s website breathlessly tells us that its ridiculously good-looking founder Alexandros Andrianopoulos ‘spent 10 ardent summers lending his expertise to the glamorous restaurant scene’ on Mykonos, managing some of the hedonistic island’s best-known party spots. It’s only appropriate, then, that for his London debut Andrianopoulos has opened a five-story members’ club in a Mayfair townhouse that was formerly the HQ of Cartier’s watchmaking division. 

The ground-floor restaurant (dress code: 'smart-chic') is no less opulent for being open to non-members, who can dine in a romantic setting softly lit by orange and yellow orb-like electric lanterns, with an impressive-looking bar as the centrepiece. It feels like a Disney-esque vision of what an exclusive central London hotspot should look like, but Onima just about pulls it off, not least thanks to some pretty accomplished cooking.

Much as you’d find on Mykonos, the food is a mix of Mediterranean dishes and fashionable Asian influences. For our starters we stuck to the Med with a spanakopita that was pretty faithful to the original Greek spinach pie, even if the saganaki cheese was a touch rubbery. Courgette flowers with feta, ricotta and anchovies, meanwhile, was impressively salty and sour, while the hummus and pitta was some of the best we’ve ever had.

Our mains didn’t re-invent the wheel either, but they were technically flawless. Lamb ragout featured a satisfyingly rich sauce and al dente penne, while baby chicken marinated in miso sauce was perfectly cooked and tender.

Puddings were the real standout, however, with the chocolate cookies semifreddo served with a salted caramel sauce poured from on high, while the soft meringue and mix of textures in a reconstructed lemon tart brought a smile to our faces.

Much like a holiday on Mykonos, a meal at Onima does not come cheap (several starters top the £20 mark) and if dining among the glitz of the international super-rich is not your idea of a good time, then walk on by. But Onima does deliver a pretty faultless experience when it comes down to it and definitely makes a safe choice for a swanky date.

Onima aims to bring the spirit of glamorous Mykonos to the London restaurant scene through luxe interiors and beautifully-presented plates of fresh, flavourful food. Dreamt up by Alexandros Andrianopoulos, who spent 10 years on the pretty Greek island, Onima seeks to bring the sun-baked tastes, aromas, colours and textures of the Mediterranean Sea, while conforming to the sleek glamour of this smart neighbourhood.

Plush seating, mood lighting and shiny surfaces abound here, as do the city’s most fashionable individuals. This is nothing new, though – the five-floor historic townhouse (which is also a private members’ club) was once the headquarters of Cartier's watchmaking empire, after all. Guests might like to start with a drink at the bar where Onima’s award-winning sommelier presides over a wide range of wines and Champagnes. Those in the mood for cocktails won’t be disappointed either as Onima’s mixologist effortlessly blends the familiar with more unusual ingredients to create sips that inventive, while still being elegant.

As is the case on the island of Mykonos, the menu at Onima offers a blend of classic Italian, Greek and Asian flavours, so diners can expect dishes such as tzatziki with homemade pitta bread, marinated Sicilian red prawns with olive oil and lemon, and josper-grilled octopus with Mediterranean salsa to start, and a selection of salads, pastas, meat and fish dishes. Those looking to push the boat out should check out the josper section, which includes premium cuts of meat such as Wagyu beef rib-eye and tomahawk steak cooked over Japanese ‘binchotan’ charcoal. A selection of decadent desserts ensures a sweet ending to your meal.

As you’d expect from its postcode, drinking and dining at Onima doesn’t come cheap, but if you’re looking for high-class glamour in Mayfair, perhaps for a celebratory meal or a swanky date, it definitely fits the bill.