Geisha at Ramusake review ★★★★★

A new themed evening at Japanese members' club Ramusake pays tribute to the allure of the Geisha.

With cocktail bar and restaurant down in the basement, the evening aims to appeal to Ramusake's high-flying members.

Ramusake is more of a bar than a restaurant, and as such, the atmosphere is bustling and not conducive to an intimate dinner with friends. The music is loud and the lighting dark: Geisha's clientele more intent on a night of clubbing than a relaxing bite to eat.

The cocktails are expertly made and well balanced, and the food is, whilst expensive, good quality Japanese haute cuisine. Long spindly prawn crackers are lighter than their frisbee shaped counterparts – and far less greasy. There's a large range of food on offer, from sushi to teriyaki to specialist Japanese dishes you might not have tried elsewhere.

Service is very attentive – perhaps a little too much – wine glasses are refilled a mile a minute by any passing waiter. Then, at around 11pm, Geisha really gets going tables are cleared and the geishas make their way to the floor: warming up the crowd, the restaurant soon makes a speedy transition into a fully blown nightclub, with highly manicured dancers and performers with huge grotesque masks lighting sparklers and dancing on the tables.

Despite its faults, it's fairly evident why Ramusake has become a celebrity hotspot. Smart, exclusive and exceptional quality cuisine, it's not the most elegant of evenings but the music is good and the clientele are clearly having a ball.

Whilst it's not everyone's cup of tea, the appeal of Ramusake is clear. Go, but go to eat early, then enjoy the cocktails until the tables are cleared and the party really gets going.