You're booking a table for a nice night out, so which is it to be: punctilious precision in a bubble of privileged privacy; or something a bit warmer and jazzier, with a personal touch, plenty of atmosphere and a hint of glamour?

Each to their own, of course, but — all things being equal when it comes to the cooking — we know which we prefer. And we know where to find it. Make that a table for two at Mario i Sentieri.

It's been more than a year since Mario Frittoli closed down Luxor, his ritzy, high-end ristorante in Shirokanedai and moved to his current premises in the better-trod back streets of Nishi-Azabu. It was a retrenchment, certainly, in tune with the economic climate; but it has also brought him back closer to his core clientele — those that appreciate the quality of his creative cucina.