Restaurants

Kushiyaki (literally, ‘skewer grilling’) specialists serve an array of animal, vegetable and seafood parts, the best-known in the West being yakitori: bite-sized pieces of chicken grilled over charcoal on bamboo skewers. In Japan, kushiyaki dishes are popular accompaniments to a drinking session. At this new restaurant you’ll find a clinical and sanitised London version of a kushiyaki-ya: not over-designed or rowdy, simply functional and understated. The menu contains enough of interest to attract a large number of Japanese customers. Takoyaki is a snack of chopped octopus, grilled in a metal mould that forms small mushy balls when filled with batter. The version here is topped with katsuobushi (thin shavings of smoked and dried bonito fish). Chicken skin yakitori was correctly salty and crisp, if a little too dried out. Shiokara is squid preserved using salt (in this case), which creates a challenging dish with the strong savoury flavour typifying umami. If you want to drink saké, try the Tamano-Hikari (a Junmai Daiginjo): excellent quality and decent value, even at £13.50 for a 300ml bottle.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008