Taka by Sushi Saito, KL
[ TL:DR Taka is good but Honten is obviously better. Saito san himself will be in KL for 1 day only in August this year. Best to call to check, if you want to catch him… ] What was once was part of the mystique…
Category: Japanese
Umu
Some cook for a living, others live to cook and then there are the true craftsmen who work with their hearts and hands, molding their wares into expressions of their being. You may have read the several interviews of Yoshinori Ishii (perhaps also his own…
Takahashi
JUNE2016 UPDATE: 3rd visit, in-season Portuguese squid sliced into 3 very thin layers, stacked and nigiri. This is awesome. Katsuo tataki in tomato ponzu; and reflecting the season, house-made white peach ice cream with wakamomo. APRIL2016 UPDATE: On 2nd visit, I tried more of his…
Sosharu
This is the next in Jason’s ever growing Social empire that spans six cities, and is his seventh restaurant in London. I’m an Atherton fan, followed Jason since Maze days (been to all but City Social) and think his London restaurants are great. I don’t…
Sabi Omakase, Stavanger Norway
DISCLAIMER: I was Sabi’s guest for this meal. Roger, Njaal and I are friends. I’ve frequented Stavanger for the last 6 years and have been amazed with the ever improving quality of restaurants here. Located in Rogaland county along the southern coast of Norway, the…
Engawa
Yes, Wagyu is back in Britain, but at what price and what sort of quality? Skepticism was the immediate reaction to Engawa’s Kobe beef claims. A regular misnomer claimed by some restaurants to generally describe fatty beef of questionable provenance. But this is apparently the…
The Quest for Wagyu : From Tokyo to Kyoto.
My search for the fabled beef began about a year ago when I first visited Japan, spending 2 weeks or so trekking around Tokyo, Yokohama, Kobe and Kyoto; and then again this spring back to Tokyo. I’ve spent nearly just as long trying to write…
Shoryu Ramen.
All signs indicate that we are about to witness the second emergence of ramen in London; But this time, perhaps with less national franchise designs, and more of a focused effort on being small scale, independent, an identity differentiated by quality recipes. You already know…
Return of The Shiori. (CLOSED)
It gives me great pleasure to write about my favourite Japanese restaurant in London, recently relaunched and relocated to Bayswater and renamed …The Shiori! Owned & operated by Chef Takagi-san and his wife Hitomi-san, this entire labour of love has finally shaken off previous trappings…
Roan Kikunoi, Kyoto.
You might have heard the name Yoshihiro Murata lately as he and Alan Yau have just opened Chrysan in London, to largely mixed reviews. Murata owns 3 restaurants in Japan, all of which specialise in Kyoto style Kaiseiki. Two are located in Kyoto and the…
Sushi Saito, Tokyo.
Takashi Saito needs little introduction. His tiny 7 seat sushi-ya, literally a small hole inside an anonymous office building car park is the epitome of a well-hidden, well-respected and well-loved gem. Saito-san holds three michelin stars, and is considered one of the celebrated top 5…
Lanka
I remember putting this cosy and dainty cafe on my list after reading LF’s detailed report nearly two years ago. It’s stayed there ever since as I can never seem to find time to visit anywhere just for cake. The owner Masayuki Hara is Japanese,…