Autumn Leaves at Sake no Hana, London

In partnership with Belvedere Vodka and Ruinart Champagne, Sake no Hana – the Japanese restaurant from Hakkasan Group – is celebrating the change of season with an Autumn Leaf installation using autumnal red, orange and yellow leaves that encase the floor to ceiling glass windows at the front of the restaurant on St James Street.

Executive Head Chef Hideki Hiwatashi has created a limited-edition menu utilising seasonal ingredients and flavours for guests to enjoy whilst sipping on warming cocktails, Japanese sake, and whisky.

Fiery red, warming orange, and frosty yellow leaves have been used in the installation to honour the Japanese maple leaf season, giving guests a feeling of nature as they enter the restaurant.

The autumnal installations complements esteemed Japanese architect Kengo Kuma’s interiors awash with linear bamboo and cypress wood adding a futuristic forest feel to the restaurant.

The installation offers guests the chance to experience ‘momiji-gari’, the Japanese tradition of viewing the maple leaves whilst enjoying modern authentic Japanese cuisine in the heart of Mayfair.

The installation has been specially commissioned to respond to the unique space and the season and created by The Edit Events. Managing Director Sarah Kay commented on the project: “We were delighted to work closely with the Sake no Hana team to develop an Autumn Leaves install. This time of year in Japan sees an incredible array of colours, shapes and textures which we have emulated within the design. Adding a modern twist is a signature of Hakkasan Group hence the inclusion of metallics and a sprayed artistic style which creates an urban Autumn install within the heart of London.”

From now until 24th November, Sake no Hana will be offering a limited-edition Autumn Leaves set menu utilising warming autumnal flavours and ingredients. Dishes include Kinoko misojitate, wild mushroom and chilli yuzu miso soup in addition to Shitake tofu, shiitake mushrooms filled with homemade tofu and wasabi sauce.

Also on the menu is Salmon kurumi miso yaki, pan fried Loch Duart salmon with walnuts and Kyoto miso.

Elsewhere on the Autumn Leaves menu, one will find Tori Sumiyaki – chargrilled miso chicken with sesame chilli miso – in addition to Gunma wagyu beef maki, asparagus, caramelised onion and kizami wasabi.

The dessert, Autumn Leaf, is a hazelnut feuilletine and hazelnut chocolate parfait with chocolate and maple syrup soup and a mascarpone mousse.

Limited edition drinks include a warming Maple Toddy utilising Hennessy Fine de Cognac, Akashi-Tai Umeshu sake, ginger, maple, chocolate and edible rice paper art.

Also on offer is the Shisho 54 – Belvedere vodka, Midori, lime, shiso, Fever-Tree slimline tonic and Prosecco.

Left to right: Maple Toddy, Koyo Nora, Shiso 54

In addition, the Koyo Nora blends Belvedere vodka, cardamom, mandarin, yuzu and edible rice paper art.

The Autumn Leaf installation and the limited-edition menu is available at Sake no Hana from now until 24th November for £40 per person, also available a la carte.

For sushi lovers, you may also like to try a selection of delights on Sake no Hana’s main menu including Soft Shell Crab Maki which consists of softshell crab tempura with cucumber and mango; Gindara Maki for a flavour burst of black cod tempura with courgette and chilli miso; or the superb Aburi Salmon Crab Maki made from seared salmon with king crab, tobiko and nashi pear.