Hinton Charterhouse, Japanese Restaurant Guide

This upscale Japanese three-year-old near the Assembly Rooms draws its name from the 19th-century author Kanagaki Robun, who introduced barbecued food to Japan – and is all about the robata grill. Not everyone is convinced of its authenticity, but the “good-value” and “beautifully presented fish bento box lunch” won raves, with “every element carefully crafted in the best Japanese tradition” (the full menu including sushi and sashimi, tempura, gyoza and a dainty afternoon tea).