We ask chef Jun Tanaka: The Ninth vs. The Pearl?

After serving as the executive chef at The Pearl Restaurant & Bar in London from 2004 to 2012, Jun Tanaka has kept busy with numerous television appearances, a venture into organic food truck territory with The Street Kitchen and even reality show cooking contests.  However, it’s Tanaka’s new solo venture in the London neighborhood of Fitzrovia, The Ninth, that has diners salivating.  Following a soft launch from Nov. 19-21, the restaurant officially opens its doors on the 23rd.

On Saturday, Tanaka held a short question-and-answer session on Twitter in the midst of menu tastings and other preparations.  Having previously dined at The Pearl – which featured French food – we wondered what he would be able to do at The Ninth (promising a French-Mediterranean menu) that he could not within the confines of a hotel restaurant.

@chefjun Menu- or dish-wise, what will @theninthlondon allow you to create that you could not at The Pearl? #askjun

— Meniscus Magazine (@meniscuszine) November 14, 2015

@meniscuszine @theninthlondon just delicious, fuss free dishes. The longer I cook, the more I appreciate simplicity. Like the flamed… — Jun Tanaka (@chefjun) November 14, 2015

@meniscuszine @theninthlondon mackerel with capers, dill and cucumber.

— Jun Tanaka (@chefjun) November 14, 2015

To translate from Twitter-ese, Tanaka responded that at The Ninth, he would be able to focus on “just delicious, fuss-free dishes.”

“The longer I cook, the more I appreciate simplicity,” Tanaka added.  “Like the flamed mackerel with capers, dill and cucumber.” Tanaka and his team at The Ninth have been sharing hints of what to expect on various social media networks, both from the perspective of the food and the venue.

The menu is still being fine-tuned, but Tanaka’s stated desire for simpler fare is an intriguing one given the complexity of some of his dishes at The Pearl.  Below are several photos of a three-course set lunch from The Pearl in early 2011, which split the dishes on his menu according to main ingredient just for clarity (and were, for the record, delicious):

The Pearl Restaurant & Bar, London, February 2011: GOAT CHEESE – Crisp baked crottin de chavignol, quince puree and pickled button onions (photo by Yuan-Kwan Chan / Meniscus Magazine)

The Pearl Restaurant & Bar, London, February 2011: LAMB – Braised shoulder shank of lamb with roast purple carrots swede and potato gratin (photo by Yuan-Kwan Chan / Meniscus Magazine)

The Pearl Restaurant & Bar, London, February 2011: PRUNE – Custard tart with poached prunes and honey ice cream (photo by Yuan-Kwan Chan / Meniscus Magazine)

Located at 22 Charlotte St., London W1T 2NB, The Ninth by Jun Tanaka officially opens on Nov. 23.