RAI reopens in Bloomsbury with London's most accessible omakase experience

After a year-long hiatus, the renowned culinary duo, Executive Chef Padam Raj Rai and Director Shrabaneswor Rai, are making a grand comeback with the reopening of their acclaimed restaurant RAI in Bloomsbury. Known for their extraordinary culinary skills showcased at Hot Stone and Kibako Restaurant, the pair is set to tantalize taste buds with RAI's unique and affordable omakase and bespoke Japanese cuisine, starting February 7th.

After being closed for a year, Executive Chef Padam Raj Rai and Director Shrabaneswor Rai are set to reopen their popular restaurant RAI in a new location in Bloomsbury, just a 4-minute walk from Tottenham Court Road Station. The duo has previously received critical acclaim for their work at Hot Stone in Islington's Chapel Market and Kibako Restaurant in Fitzrovia is now gearing up for RAI's grand opening on February 7th.

With just 5 tables, the main floor seats a maximum of 10 people only serving seasonal tasting menus. RAI also has a separate sushi counter that can seat up to 8 guests. Here, guests can enjoy a la carte sushi or opt for their omakase sushi set menus, which start from £75, making RAI the most affordable Omakase in London.

Drawing on 22 years of experience in some of the city’s most renowned Japanese restaurants: Nobu, Sake no Hana, Tsukiji to name a few, Padam’s impeccable tasting menus chart the history and modern-day evolution of Japanese cuisine whilst showcasing meticulously sourced highest quality ingredients.

Placing a clear focus on seasonal and high-quality produce, RAI offers a masterclass in fine dining with its sublime flavour combinations that showcase the finest Japanese dishes alongside unique ingredients from the UK and around the world. Served omakase-style in a multi-course menu, from Japan comes the highest-grade Hyōgo Prefecture Kobe and A5 Kagoshima wagyu beef, Sanpuku nori, the finest nori from Japan’s Ariake Sea, Koshihikari rice considered one of the best sushi rice, hard to find fresh Japanese wasabi that takes up to 3 years to grow and extremely rare aged soy sauces up to 38 years aged in 100 years old cedar barrel.

On the tasting menu, you can expect - homemade tofu and natto gyoza accompanied by traditional dashi broth, Ikijime (a traditional Japanese method of killing fish which maintains the quality of its meat) seabass garnished with yuzu beurre blanc, & kombu and citrus oil, Hand-dived Scallops from Scotland with yuzu, shisho pesto & British caviar, Unagi & ethical foie gras with English truffle and sushi and sashimi using the freshest seafood, koshihikari rice, sanpuku nori with aged soy sauces and freshly grated Japanese wasabi.

The traditional and tranquil Japanese garden interior will transport you to a completely different world and the inventive menu makes the whole dining experience even more magical. But if you are feeling more classic and traditional menu then there is a beautiful sushi counter where you can have the most beautiful sushi, sashimi and traditional Japanese dishes with the best quality ingredients, made with unmatched love, care and skill from chef Padam himself and his highly passionate and skilled team.

Open 5 days a week, RAI’s tasting menu, priced from £130 per person, is sure to tingle your tastebuds and leave a very memorable experience like no other with picture-perfect dishes from start to finish. For those wishing to have a more casual meal or just super good classic sushi then you can sit at the 8-seater sushi counter and enjoy one of the best sushi London has to offer without breaking the bank.