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Asakusa
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Budget choice
Asakusa is crammed every evening. The young Camden crowd, Japanese and otherwise, don’t come for the frankly rather dingy, ‘squat-chic’ decor; they come for the low prices and the food, which is generally very good. Relentlessly cheerful servers bear constant smiles and a willingness to help decipher the menu. This makes few concessions to readability, but lists a staggering array of inviting victuals. Teishoku (set meals) make a decent starting point. Our mixed tempura (fat prawns and various veg) was hot and crisp. Sushi (juicy eel maki) and sashimi (yellowtail) are of a high standard and there’s a varied range. Small dishes are difficult to resist; our beef tataki wasn’t the most tender meat in town, but had plenty of flavour and was nicely presented. Buta kakuni, a slow-cooked pork belly dish, was rich and warming with an appetisingly sweet undertone, but we’d have liked it cooked a bit more, until it fell apart under the pressure of chopsticks. Most customers stick to large-format bottles of beer or tea, but there’s saké on the drinks list too. Book ahead if you’re after a ground-floor table; otherwise, it’s down to the basement.
Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009
Time Out reviews restaurants anonymously and pays for meals. Of course, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or independence of user reviews.
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I'm Melissa. I love to have fun. I love laughing and smiling. I'm learning Spanish at the moment because I would like to be fluent in it. I can...
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The best sushi I have had.
This place is not posh, but what it lacks in layout it makes up in food. The sushi and sashimi is the best I have had. My favourite resturant in London!
QUALITY QUALITY QUALITY!
Oh and I forgot to mention when you get hte bill you regret you didnt order more, its so cheap (relative).
Asakusa is just. the. best. It's my favourite restaurant in the entire city, full stop.
The combination of quality food, unpretentious environment (it's maybe not a place to take someone you're trying to impress) and surprisingly small prices makes it unbeatable. I've never had better sushi in my life, including at places like Nobu where you pay literally ten times the price.
The stand out winner of the menu (apart from the generous hand-rolls) for me is the gooey baked aubergine. It's unctuous, sweet, sticky and amazing. Win.
this place is great quality for money. I've had my fair share of Japanese and its fair to say this place ranks as one of my favourites. I find the best experience is to go in a large group and order a wide variety off the menu - always fun to order something new. huge range offers plenty of choice for fish or meat lovers. definately ask for the salmon head!
itadakimasu!
the food is sooo good you can even tolerate the damp conditions of the basement floor, if you can book for the room upstairs though....
You will not be let down but the quality of the food, I agree with some other reviewer, it is one of the best japanese reastaurant in London. Be aware though that it is so authentic the menu is not translated!! you can be adventureous with confidence! worthy.
By far the best Japanese in London, although tightly packed on weekends and don't even think of getting in there without a reservation. Best book a few days in advance. Highlights: unagi (eel), try Unagi Tamago, eel wrapped in pancake-thin omelette which is sublime, and definitely, DEFINITELY the noodles of the house, Asakusa Udon. It is the most expensive noodle dish on the menu but God is my witness these are noodles from heaven - and I have eaten them all over Japan. Do not think "I can always get noodles at Wagamama", because the Asausa bowl is in the class of its own. Thick, fragrant broth, with a poached egg which releases the yolk as you poke it, with deep fried ebi (prawn) and fishcake. The only thing to improve would be to have more imported beers (they only had Asahi Black from Japan, the rest was licenced stuff).
Love this place. The food is incredible and sooo cheap. The staff are lovely and helpful. This is by far my favourite restaurant in London.