A JOURNEY THROUGH NIKKEI CUISINE

A party in Kay Woodward’s taste buds happens at Chef Akira Back’s new Peruvian jewel in the Pearl’s crown.

Even the lift that whisks diners up to TONO by Akira Back is fabulous. As soon as we step inside, it’s like entering another dimension. The walls are smoky, dappled, mirrored and designed to make everyone look good. But the restaurant itself is something else. The Peruvian architectural avant-garde design of South Korean, world-renowed Chef Akira Back’s newest venture is truly unique.

Imagine if the most splendid art gallery in the world were mixed with the warmest colour palette, the coolest tunes – there’s live music and a DJ – and the friendliest staff. That’s TONO by Akira Back. Velvety chairs of burnt ochre encircle the tables, while cosy alcoves are tucked away along the walls and there are elegant private rooms if you’d like to host a small event. Outside, there’s an expansive terrace too. The ceiling is so high that there’s room for a dazzling mezzanine floor with a stunning bar and an intimate lounge. The enormous arched window gives everyone an amazing view of Porto Arabia. And everywhere, there’s bold artwork in homage to the chef’s artist mother. At its centre, a stunning installation that’s both a perfect centrepiece and an excellent conversation starter. I could describe it, but it’s definitely best enjoyed with a dish of ceviche, which leads us to the food. Chef Akira has expertly blended Peruvian ingredients with Japanese cooking techniques to create an innovative Nikkei cuisine that is precise and full of flavour.

So, the ceviche. The ceviche made with sea bass was light and refreshing, citrus-cured with leche de tigre – literally, tiger’s milk. This classic Peruvian marinade is made from lime, chilli and coriander. There’s Cancha and Choclo, two different ways of preparing corn – a la Peruvian way. Mohammad, our fabulous waiter, hand-mixes everything as we watch, mesmerised. It is the first of many delicious shared dishes.

But there are also 0% cocktails galore. The Dragon Fruit Mojito is swoon-worthy, while the 0% Smoked Khiar is a beautiful blend of fresh cucumber and fresh watermelon juice, smoked with dry rosemary. It appears in a smoke-filled bell jar for a touch of theatre. Tiraditos is a Japanese-Peruvian innovative dish of fresh sashimi. We try the Toro with spicy miso dressing and sigh at the perfect blend of piquant creaminess and umami. A mysterious white orb in a cloud of dry ice appears, and inside, there’s grilled avocado sitting on smoked avocado and, to top everything, there’s pico de gallo. Nori and sweet potato chips provide the crunch to the gorgeous guacamole.

We’re presented the Wagyu A5 on a hoba leaf and a choice of steak knives in a wooden box. Meanwhile, the accompanying sauces appear on an undulating dish that Chef Akira has designed – it’s modelled on an artist’s palette, on which the sauces are arranged like dollops of oil paint. It’s lovely to look at and lovely to savour too.

Para picar – to snack at – come thick and fast. Wagyu Empanadas are crispy pockets of Wagyu beef, baked potato and onions that remind me a little of tiny Cornish pasties and taste as good as they sound. Pan de queso are light, airy cheese balls made with mozzarella and parmesan. They’re warm from the oven and so delicious. A word of caution: do NOT overlook the Broccolini. Served with spicy kabayaki sauce, walnuts and crumbled with feta cheese, the flavour is smoky and just, well, excellent.

The seafood blows us away. Lobster, cooked live and served with aji panca and garlic butter, is savoury and soft, smoky and garlicky. It tastes as lobster should. The Hokkaido scallops are a work of art. They sit like tropical islands in a sea of Peruvian aji limo chilli sauce, each decorated with wafer-thin slices of jalapeño and yellow beetroot, topped with a tiny heap of truffle caviar. Executive Chef Hyungmin Bae – also known as Bobby – tells us that the slices of scallops are torched on one side to bring out their natural sweetness. Oh my.

We really can’t fit desserts in, but somehow we do. The Coco Meringue is a perfect disc of coconutty meringue that we smash to reveal citrussy, light yuzu sorbet beneath. Chocolatono is a concoction of seven different types of chocolate, including Streusel and crunchy praline. Mmm…

Tono is Peruvian slang for ‘party’. With live music from a Cuban band in the evenings, followed by a DJ set, the party vibe is strong here. But, brilliantly, it’s the place to let your taste buds party too. ✤

GO: CALL 3001 0145 FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO MAKE A RESERVATION.