Necco

Time Out says

Thu Apr 8 2010

Nécco is a young Japanese schoolgirl’s dream, designed in shades of candy pink and as cute as a Studio Ghibli animation. The name is an anglicised version of neko (Japanese for cat) and the kitty motif is everywhere, from the teacups to the business cards. Kawaii ne, (it’s cute), as they say in Japan.

A surprisingly lengthy menu of sushi, donburi (rice bowls), noodles (ramen, udon, soba) and ‘Japanese tapas’ (comprising things such as tempura or takoyaki–fried octopus balls) is enclosed in a twee folder made from pink felt.

A deli counter houses some Continental-Japanese fusion desserts (matcha macarons, tea-scented tiramisu) and ready-prepped sunomono (vinegared dishes) and jars of tsukemono (pickles).

It’s all very cheap, for those used to to paying a premium for decent Japanese cooking in London.

A Saturday brunch set is £6.80, and comes with a salmon sashimi salad (though the serving of fish was parsimonious), edamame beans, brown rice and pickled radish, tiny cups of sunomono (various veg in a sweet vinegar dressing) and simmered cubes of potato, peas and shiitake mushroom.

Also good were crisp, juicy pork gyoza (dumplings) with a ginger and soy dipping sauce and an assorted sushi set (nothing groundbreaking, but made with good, well-seasoned rice) for £8.50.

For imbibing, there’s saké, plum wine, cocktails and Japanese beers (Asahi Super Dry, Kirin Ichiban, Sapporo Premium) that are a bargainous £2.80 a pop.

Non-alcoholics do well too, with a range of organic Japanese teas and fruity smoothies. Service was achingly slow on our visit, but extremely apologetic so we didn’t have to get our claws out.