Taka restaurant in Mayfair has closed and will reopen under a new concept in early 2021.

Renamed Maru, the restaurant will be led by chef Taiji Maruyama, a former sushi chef at Nobu London and head chef at Surrey hotel Beaverbrook. He will begin the venture alongside Taka partners Andrey and Anastasia Datsenko.

Maru will offer a 20-course omakase tasting menu, priced at £150, served to guests sat around a long 10-seat counter. This, we think, will be a trend in 2021 – note Behind, in Hackney, which launched only last month and offers the same dining style.

Maru will specialise in dry-ageing fish, which will feature prominently on the daily changing menu.

An announcement said: “Fish such as tuna, brill and trout, and seafood such as squid will be aged, not unlike meat, in custom-made display fridges for between three to eight days in order to preserve and concentrate the flavour.”

Dishes will be served on crockery handmade by Maruyama, and will also feature ingredients such as Perigord truffle, wagyu, and caviar.

The Japanese restaurant launched in 2017. A second site recently opened in the former Providores restaurant in Marylebone earlier in 2020.