Stunning and opulent design and first class cuisine don't necessarily go hand in hand but that is what Zinnia an all-day Japanese fusion restaurant and lounge is trying to create in the buzzy Chelsea end of Fulham Road.

In an area crammed with eating houses serving up cuisines from around the world, Zinnia is attempting to stand out amongst the crowd and opened its doors to customers in early January, a notoriously difficult time for the restaurant trade.

However, if first impressions are anything to go by once you walk through the doors it's doing a pretty good job in wooing customers. The Zinnia venture is set in an attractive Georgian building and the interior has been stylishly redesigned to house a dedicated restaurant, relaxed bar, with full menu, and a sophisticated basement lounge over three floors.

The focal point as you enter is the long table-style front bar with a stone counter and opulent lacquer- finished character oak legs and when you gaze upwards you can't help but be struck by a stunning ceiling design of mirrors in gilt edged frames. The staircase to the top floor toilets is a work of architectural brilliance and once you reach your destination you will not be disappointed – these are five star loos fit for a king and queen. Quite simply the design of this place is breathtakingly beautiful in places and would not look out of place gracing the front cover of any top lifestyle magazine.

The restaurant area, set behind the bar, is intimate and luxurious with plush and comfortable suede banquettes and chairs in striking rich crimson set against a backdrop of black wood panelled walls, with mirrors of different shapes and sizes cleverly inset, to break up the colour palette. A large feature fireplace is set within a light brick wall to create colour contrast and funky hanging lights all help to create a relaxed and comfortable feel for the diner.

I went along with my partner Fiona, to sample the evening a la carte menu, which like Zinnia's overall appearance on paper looks to be adventurous and exciting – but the real test as always is can the kitchen deliver to the same high level as the interior designers have.

The menu is broken up into sections and we started by sharing a platter of the chef's selection of sushi and nigiri (£30). The mixture of Ahi tuna, Scottish salmon and yellowtail nigiri hit the mark as did California rolls of prawn, cucumber, avocado and tobiko and maki rolls of spicy Ahi tuna, salmon and tobiko and avocado, cucumber, mango and yuzu, they were all wonderfully fresh and vibrant and the perfect way to start the meal.

Next came small dishes of as good a soft shell crab as I have tasted for a long time with a delightful crab mayonnaise and tempura tiger prawns (£14) with dipping sauce, in both cases the light crispy batter was just cracking. The dishes came at pace and these were soon followed by robata grill Teriyaki beef skewers (£9) which were slightly char grilled, well cooked and packed plenty of flavour.

We paused to sip on our well recommended Sancere Domaine des Vieux Pruniers 2013 (£39) and then prepared ourselves for the final two plates, which again we shared. Like everything else they were beautifully and artfully presented on the plate.

Miso glazed black cod with wasabi mash, wasabi nuts and samphire (£34) was like a finely tuned orchestra to the taste buds, a great combination of flavours and textures that really worked with delicately cooked translucent fish that simply melted in the mouth. The Szechuan glazed pork belly (£11 as a small plate) was pretty damn good too, with pear, sprinklings of crackling and edamame beans adding further flavour to the perfectly cooked flavoursome meat.

And to round things off we shared a desert of a fresh and palate-cleansing coconut and mango sphere with mango sorbet and almond crunch (£8), which lived up to everything else that had been served before, it was yummy, lovingly presented and did not disappoint.

Zinnia, 86 Fulham Road, Chelsea
Opulent Zinnia

I almost wanted to find fault with Zinnia but try as I did there was really nothing not to like about this new addition to the Fulham Road, from its eye-catching design, creative and well delivered food, attentive staff and a good ambience.

Open from midday onwards for lunch, diners can enjoy Bento boxes, lighter sharing plates and a range of sushi whilst afternoons are all about the Asian-inspired tea: a delectable selection of pastries, cakes and tarts baked daily on the premises, with cups of steaming Flora Tea.