Restaurants

The latest aspiring modern Japanese starlet is an interpretation of a yakitori-ya: a restaurant serving yakitori. In Japan these are casual places where office workers gather for a tapas-style meal and a beer/saké or two. Bincho looks the part. The long dining room is done out in a mini-forest of wood and bamboo, the large windows giving jaw-dropping views over the Thames. An enticingly smoky aroma drew us from the bar to chairs at a counter in front of hibachi-style grills, from where we watched chefs dip skewers into earthenware pots of taré and baste them over the grills. We sampled kawa (chicken skin), negima (chicken and spring onion), sunazuri (chicken gizzard) – all pretty good – and aigamo (duck with spring onion) – succulent and juicy. Other bits on sticks (kushiyaki) were less successful. From the selection of salads, pickles and soups we were looking forward to the earthy flavours promised by motsu nikomi (daikon and pig’s tripe soup), but its insipid flavours disappointed. So we didn’t fall in love with Bincho. It lacks the experimentation of Zuma and the sense of innovation obvious at Yakitoria ; and its dishes are competent rather than exciting.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008