Archive For The “Asian” Category
Chinatown in Soho London throngs with tourists and locals every day of the week. This isn’t, however, the first Chinatown in London. The original Chinese area was in the East end of the capital in Limehouse. That run-down neighbourhood suffered severe bombing during the Second World War, forcing many Chinese to find another home. The…
This was bound to be good. I knew the chef, Peter Joseph from a Michelin-star Indian restaurant, so I was expecting good things. The location held the promise of a smart venue. But I wasn’t prepared for the culinary joy and polished style of Kahani, near Sloane Square. This high-end Indian restaurant is in a…
This is my second visit to this small but perfectly appointed chain of Japanese cafés. Kanada-Ya presents a casual den for those who love noodles. You can read my first article here …and it’s glowing. https://www.mostlyfood.co.uk/index.php/kanada-ya-or-how-i-found-my-noodle/ Specialising in authentic Tonkotsu ramen, the brand was founded by Kanada Kazuhiro in Yukuhashi, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan, in 2009. …
I am constantly amazed at the prices charged for Japanese food in London. I am usually disappointed by the portion sizes, too. That doesn’t make a positive gastronomic statement, in my book. But then there is always Abokado – they offer reasonably-priced Japanese food and plenty of choice. Abokado is a small chain and I…
Abokado is a chain, but it has become just that because it delivers what people want and it has regulars, and that, these days, is an accolade! We had breakfast in the High Holborn branch, which is just a stone’s throw from Holborn and Chancery Lane Underground stations. There are a few seats at this…
The Beaverbrook Estate seems a quintessentially English retreat with a country house hotel, and that would obviously have a quintessentially English dining room and menu. Well, no: although the dining room looks rather English with a hint of cherry blossom, the food on offer at The Dining Room is authentically Japanese. Head Chef Taiji Maruyama…
Well, this was a surprise, and what a lovely one. Not often you can say that in these times of over-priced and under-achieving restaurants. YUU Kitchen is a little beacon of delicious accessibility. This casual restaurant is just around the corner from Aldgate East Underground station, so within easy reach of most of Central London….
Indian food has long been a favourite in the UK. Chicken Tikka Masala is said to be our national dish! But these days Indian restaurants fall into one of several categories. There are the high-end tapas-style of restaurants; we have Indian fine-dining; and we have those restaurants that offer a combination of both traditional and…
Richmond is a lovely spot in the summer, but enticing lunch and dinner choices can be thin on the ground. One wants something delicious, reasonably priced and at a good central location – and perhaps we might be vegan. Wagamama provides the solution to this rather tricky gastronomic dilemma. Wagamama Richmond is a light and…
Battersea Power Station has a profile instantly recognisable, to Londoners at least. It was a coal-fired power station, and it was originally two separate buildings, one built in the 1930s and the other in the 1950s. The two stations had similar design and the combination created the iconic four-chimney façade. The station closed in 1983,…
Black Roe Poke Bar and Grill launched in the heart of Mayfair in March 2016 and it’s one of my favourite spots. The dark grey, portrait-hung walls create a cocoon of calm in Mayfair. It isn’t glitzy, you don’t have to be an A-lister to be allowed in, but it is smart-casual, with delicious embellishments….
Chotto Matte is one of my favourite Soho restaurants. It’s original, reasonably priced and the food is always exceptional. I have previously visited for dinner (read my review here) and this second visit for Brunch did not disappoint. Each brunch booking allows the diners (minimum of 2) a couple of cocktails and prosecco, beer or…
One couldn’t think of a better location for this latest Ippudo. I have visited one other branch, the one in St Giles Piazza, but I have never had the opportunity to review. The new Ippudo is just along from Embankment Underground station so it couldn’t be more convenient. Villiers Street connects the Strand with Victoria…
So, what does one do when a long-loved favourite restaurant closes? Sit in a darkened room in a state of sad dismay? Or, perhaps one visits the newcomer with expectations of disappointment? I did both, but the former, it turns out, was totally over-dramatic and a waste of time, and the latter was unnecessary as…
Hot Pot: a sumptuous DIY event Hot Pot is a sociable activity that allows family and friends to gather together around the pot to celebrate the tradition of sharing – the tradition of Hot Pot. With over 150 Hot Pot restaurants in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, this particular branch in London’s Chinatown has won me…
Diners at the front tables of Chino Latino have a stunning view To the untutored this location might not seem the best, being on the ‘other side of the river’. However, it has great transport links, being set between Waterloo and Vauxhall stations, with fleets of convenient red buses running past the door – or…
Chotto Matte is Japanese for ‘please wait a minute’. No, dear reader, don’t go thinking that this is a veiled threat of slow service. It’s surely more a statement that dishes are freshly prepared. It’s not a matter of waiting but more like allowing yourself a little time to anticipate. Having said that, Chotto Matte…
Black Roe is tucked away in a side street in the heart of Mayfair. It couldn’t be better located for transport and diners. This is a neighbourhood with plenty of restaurants but it is making its mark, attracting visitors who want quality food and something a little unique. Pacific Rim cuisine is what’s offered here…
Yes, dear reader, this is a chain restaurant and I make no apologies for reviewing a Thai Square. Why do chains become chains? Because they become popular. And why are they popular? Because they’re good. Thai Square has been around for a few years now and they have not dropped their standards one bit. The…
I have written a book about Indian restaurants but they were all in London. I review Indian restaurants almost every month but I have never reviewed one outside the UK hub of Indian food – our capital city. But here I was in a traditional English seaside town and a long way from home, and…