A Reservation At London's New Culinary Spot, The Cocochine, Is Worth Picking Up The Phone

Dining at London's most refined new restaurant, The Cocochine, all begins with a phone call. Insert gasp here, no? Hospitality and connection are built into the design of this elevated Mayfair dining experience, alongside dish after dish of deliciousness, of course.

Located just off London's sceney Berkeley Square, the four-story former mews house at 27 Bruton Place has been thoughtfully restored and renovated into a culinary oasis by Partners Tim Jefferies and Chef Larry Jayasekara.

On the ground level sits the 28-seat main dining room, offering up a curated, weekly-changing à la carte menu of inspired dishes - Dutch White Asparagus with razor clams and Amalfi lemon hollandaise, Otoro with Japanese Soy and Golden Oscietra Caviar, Hand Dived Orkney Island Scallop with pumpkin, pickled strawberry and elderflower sauce, a Dry Aged Wild Fillet Of Turbot with Dorset Crab and lemongrass sauce.

With only one seating for lunch and dinner, guests are invited to enjoy the ultimate restaurant luxury - exclusive use of their table, sans-hurry.

Perched on first floor, an even more intimate seven-seat chef's counter offers up views into the restaurant's beautifully designed kitchen. 

Last on the stair-heavy tour is the basement, which houses a cellar that beckons Oenophiles near and far, filled with a collection of fine wines and champagnes.

Classically trained with 20 years experience in fine dining, Sri Lankan-born and English-Michelin-kitchen educated Chef Larry Jayasekara's menus refuse easy categorization, his culinary approach driven by a penchant for styles and flavors that travel the globe and celebrate the joy of eating...

You allow guests full use of the table for the afternoon or evening. How long are you
seeing people stay?
Our guests can stay as long or as short as they want. The idea is really to welcome and
make them feel like at home: old-school hospitality, that’s the main reason for not turning
tables. We don’t want to rush anyone, but for them to enjoy the experience, the food, the
space. If they want to have a quick lunch, though, that’s also absolutely fine for us too. The
duration of the experience is tailored according to the guest.

Is there any menu item in particular you're loving most lately?
All of them. And if you’d come and visit next week, they will be different. If I could, I would
change the menu at every service: we have such great produce, we can play around with
our creativity and flavour combinations in so many ways. So, at the moment, I could tell you
the Arnaud Tauzin Poulet des Landes, with the chicken coming from the South West of
France, the Dry Aged Wild Fillet of Turbot, the Scallop from Tanera Island in Scotland, and
many products from our farm in Northamptonshire. Come back next week, and there will be
other incredible dishes.

What's been the most surprising thing to happen since opening?
I wouldn’t say much surprising, there has definitely been many satisfactions. We have been looking forward to this opening for so long, that now is like living the dream with my team.

[Photos courtesy The Cocochine]