Be on time for your booking at Joy; once that door shuts, class begins. At their intimate 10- seat kitchen counter, owner-chef Sarah Baldwin and beverage boss Oliver Chia serve around seven courses with subtle Japanese influences woven throughout. A signature chawanmushi is topped with layers of crunchy toasted quinoa, corn custard, salmon roe and squeeze of lime, while diced yellowfin tuna with puffed rice crackers is enhanced with the addition of roasted tomato and confit garlic. Opting for matching drinks is wise: Chia’s selections are distinctive and thoughtful. Consider an umeshu from Nara Prefecture, which complements a pistachio cake with cherry-blossom custard thanks to its gentle plum-like sweetness, or a bright South African cinsault that pairs brilliantly with a rosy pink slice of pan-seared lamb rump. Depart with a box of baked amaretti biscuits, a Polaroid memento and a beaming smile. It’s an education in heartfelt hospitality – and the art of spreading joy.
