Café Japan

Its short-lived offshoot around the corner (Sushi Cafelicious) ceased trading in July 2011, but Café Japan's been going strong, through changes of ownership, for nigh on two decades - to wit a plaque dating back to 1996 when it took Best Japanese in Time Out's Eating & Drinking Awards, followed by sundry other nods of approval over the years. Which explains why you generally need to book, often on the promise of vacating your table by a certain time.

However, rapid turnover is aided by attentive staff - and plenty of them. They even fashion cheat-chopsticks for novices out of waribashi, elastic bands and wadded napkins. While the odd-coloured interior and tired-looking furniture wouldn't win any awards, the sushi is consistently very good.

Evening à la carte prices tend to hike the bill, but you can offset investment in a 14-piece omakase (£23) that includes high-end toppings such as chutoro and hotate (scallop) by, for example, ordering lower-cost hosomaki sushi.

Hot dishes are more of a gamble: we've been delighted by melt-in-the-mouth butterfish teriyaki, but disappointed by bland agedofu. Take a perch at the front sushi counter and grill if you want to watch the chefs plying their skilful trade.