Soho, Japanese Restaurant Guide

The “surprisingly delicious and wide-ranging menu” combines sushi with yakitori skewers (the so-called ‘sticks’) at this extremely popular Japanese-inspired group, whose “bustling” branches betray the Scandi style of their Copenhagen-based owners. It’s “a perfect choice if not everyone wants sushi” (even if it’s “expensive and portions are a bit on the small side”). A tenth branch is promised in late 2022 in Westfield W12.

This ten-year-old rock ’n’ roll ramen concept is in expansion mode at the moment, having pushed into the southwestern suburbs with openings in Richmond and Putney in recent years, followed by High Street Ken and the former Eurostar terminal at Waterloo station in 2022. They “still do a very fine bowl of tonkotsu”, and the classic rock soundtrack stays the same.

“Genuine Japanese-style ramen and dumplings” from Japan Centre owner Tak Tokumine hit the spot with “generous portions, excellent flavours” and “very good service” at his expanding group based in the West End. There are now seven venues in London, plus Ichiba food hall in Westfield Shepherd’s Bush and offshoots in Oxford and Manchester. The summer 2022 launch of a branch in Kensington High Street was expected to be the first of several under a new franchising arrangement.

These “busy and bustling fusion restaurants” offer a “wide choice” of East Asian dishes, headed by “Japanese-style favourites” – including various sushi or sashimi options and miso black cod – that are “competently and surprisingly well prepared”. Israeli-born founder Ohad Kastro celebrates the 10th anniversary of the original launch in Primrose Hill this year; branches in Soho, Marylebone, Chelsea and Barnes have followed.

“It’s easy to walk past” these “unassuming” Japanese canteens, but “don’t – go on in!” There’s a “great choice on the menu of both cooked plates and sushi”; “the food is always delicious” and prices are keen for a cuisine that can be very expensive. After two decades in Soho, the group has now pushed into Balham, Kennington and Finchley, with Pimlico and Walthamstow scheduled for late 2022.

This “slurpy Japanese noodles” outfit has grown from a 2011 pop-up to a fledgling national chain (14 branches in London, plus Brighton and Brum). These days it “feels formulaic, but the ramen does the business – the tonkotsu (pork broth, from which the place gets its name) is satisfyingly porky and the chilli chicken has a spicy hum”. Critics are not so sure, pointing to “very disappointing noodles” and “drab stock”.

With its outdoor rooftop terraces over central London near Regent Street, this Hong Kong-owned Japanese joint (a sibling of more famous Aqua Shard) makes a “romantic” location – “even a touch exotic” – to dine on “lovely food” which “looks as good as it tastes”. “The rent must be pretty steep, presumably explaining why prices are very high too”.

“Portions are perfect for the price and they don’t ‘cheap out’ on the protein” at these “solid udon places” in Soho (est. 2010), a newer offshoot in the City’s Bloomberg Arcade and now also with the opening of ‘Koya Ko’ in Hackney’s Broadway Market (this last with a slightly different menu). “Very Japanese-chic, super-cosy and cute”, their “staff are kind and helpful with answering questions about ingredients”. Udon are more traditional and subtler than ubiquitous ramen, and arrive in Japan’s famous light dashi stock.

“Genuine Japanese-style ramen and dumplings” from Japan Centre owner Tak Tokumine hit the spot with “generous portions, excellent flavours” and “very good service” at his expanding group based in the West End. There are now seven venues in London, plus Ichiba food hall in Westfield Shepherd’s Bush and offshoots in Oxford and Manchester. The summer 2022 launch of a branch in Kensington High Street was expected to be the first of several under a new franchising arrangement.

Matsuhiro Araki returned to the Far East in 2019 (he had moved to London while his daughter went to uni in the UK) and left this nine-seat Mayfair venue (for which he gained three Michelin stars) in the hands of his apprentice – UK-born Marty Lau – who has run it along similar lines ever since. Of course, it’s a second-mortgage job, but the sushi omakase menu here is very seldom rated anything less than “outstanding”, and why Michelin now chooses to ignore a restaurant which satisfies such a high proportion of customers at one of London’s top price points is baffling. One quibble – “it’s £300 a person, but you still have to leave after your 2-hour sitting”.

This “wonderful Japanese noodle shop just off of Regent Street” is modelled on the ‘yokocho’ alleyways of old Tokyo, its retro 1970s theme lending itself well to pedestrianised Heddon Street. There’s “great-tasting ramen with regular specials” and it “can be busy”. Launched two years ago by the Japan Centre team, it also has branches in Panton Street, Soho, and Westfield Shepherd’s Bush.

The Selby brothers’ “very snug little basement venue for counter-top fine dining” shows “levels of skill and technique to compete with much better-known places that leave you with a far higher bill”; with cooking that’s “consistently well-thought-out, imaginative and bold”. “Ultimately there can be a clash between the expectation of enjoying fine cuisine and fine wines, while being perched on a stool with people brushing past”, so “file this under ‘one to watch’ as they plan to build out the ambition even further”.

“Spartan surroundings…”, “efficient service but can be stilted and without a smile…” yet “all is ultimately forgiven” at these “always busy” and “always reliable” Japanese canteens. “Given the price, you’d expect real mediocrity” and yet meals are almost invariably “acceptable and good quality (if somewhat formulaic)”. Top Tip – “lovely bento boxes”. (The ‘G2’ Golders Green branch specialises in Shabu Shabu – a variety of broths).

This “tasty” and fun Soho side project from the Bone Daddies group sounds like a post-modern culinary joke – a western take on a Japanese take on western cuisine! It started out as a pop-up, but proved popular enough to stick around on a permanent basis, serving hits from Korean fried wings and tuna tacos to kinako French toast with soft-serve ice cream.

Too limited feedback for a rating on this Mayfair Japanese centred around an open kitchen, which – in its six years of operation – has never seemed quite to fulfil its potential. Nowadays owned by famous food importers Atariya and supplied by Zen-Noh (Japan’s agricultural cooperative), it should be an undisputed champion of NIpponese cuisine, but is still sometimes accused of being “incredibly expensive for what it delivers”.

The “very rich and extremely meaty pork broth” wins plenty of admirers for what some consider “London’s top ramen”. Founded by former cycle racer Kazuhiro Kanada in Kyushu 14 years ago, the small group now has four branches in the capital – Angel, Piccadilly, Covent Garden and Carnaby – and provide “food to savour on a chilly winter day”.