Our Review Of Akira Back: Gorgeous Asian Fusion Dining In Mayfair

Akira Back is, to say the least, an impressively prolific restauranteur – having opened 31 across the world, including in Singapore, the US, Thailand and Italy – but he’s much more than that. The Korean-born, Colorado-raised chef is an innovative trailblazer, creatively blending Japanese and Korean cuisine, which led to him earning a Michelin star for his Seoul restaurant Dosa by Akira Back in 2017, before relocating the restaurant to London in 2024 - re-earning his Michelin star just a few months later. As you can imagine, they've been fully booked for months, but I still wanted a taste of the famed chef's expertise - so I went for the next best thing, Akira Back, which, like its Michelin star counterpart, is found in Mayfair's luxe Mandarin Oriental hotel.

The interiors at Akira Back were elegant and sophisticated - perfect for a fine dining meal.

DesignMyNight's Review Of Akira Back In Mayfair

We started our evening by zooming up to ABar Rooftop Bar, found at the top of the hotel, via the glass-walled elevator (a much more sophisticated version than I imagine Willy Wonka's to have been). The lofty, intimate bar was very snazzy, with an outdoor terrace that boasted views stretching as far as the Millennium Eye. The cocktail menu? Oh, it was interesting. In fact, I was a little unsure of what to go for, as the combinations sounded so unique – in the end, I decided on a Mango Tango (£21). Though a bit heavy on the mezcal and tequila, it was juicy and crisp, with sweet notes from the orange wine, mango and citrus; a bit like a mezcal spritz. My partner on the other hand opted for the Citrus Black Pepper (£18). Made with The Lakes Signature malt whisky, yuzu, black pepper, Earl Grey and soda water, it was an incredibly aromatic cocktail that was unlike anything we’d ever tasted, offering an impressive balance of sweet, sour, spicy and bitter flavours.

The sashimi (pictured left) and the tacos (pictured right) are both must-orders.

After knocking back our sundowners, we headed back down to the restaurant – an elegant space with dramatically tall ceilings leading to a glass roof, complete with unique, winding wooden structures coming off the walls. The staff were, from the offset, incredibly kind and chatty, and explained the whole menu to us in great detail which we really appreciated.

Despite its name, the tuna pizza (£26) was actually a crisped tortilla topped with fine slithers of buttery soft tuna, with a strong but not overpowering flavour of truffle - a great little nibble. We also adored the tuna sashimi (£16 for 3 pieces) – it was so fatty and marbled, you could almost confuse it with beef, and it melted in the mouth seamlessly. The same goes for the salmon sashimi (£14), this was utterly divine, sitting serenly in a pool of umami lemon miso dressing, sprinkled with crispy onions for a lovely crunch.

Both the dynamite lobster (left) and jidori chicken (right) were juicy, tender and delicious.

Next, we tried the tacos (£18 for 2 pieces). I won’t lie, these were incredibly tiny, but oh my god were they amazing. This one-bite wonder showcased beautifully browned, gorgeously soft wagyu bulgogi, elevated with roasted tomato ponzu, nestled tightly in a crisp tortilla shell. It had an intense, ragu-like richness and depth of flavour, with subtle sweet and sour notes that were just, well, wow. The dynamite lobster (£48) was unbelievably tender and topped with pickled shimeji, adding a sweet tang, and slices of jalapenos for an added spicy kick. Juicy beyond compare, the jidori chicken (£28) was so, so good, complemented with a buttery teriyaki sauce and a side of faultless potato puree.

Akira Back: Overall

The food at Akira Back was delicious - everything was perfectly cooked, blending Japanese, Korean and British cooking for a unique but still familiar selection of dishes. The cookery and ingredients within each plate were amazing, but I have to say my eyes did water a tad at the price tags. But, you have to remember, you're in the middle of Mayfair, one of London's ritziest neighbourhoods, dining on a Michelin star chef's menu.