Okan

This pared back café specialises in Osaka-style okonomiyaki (a sort of savoury Japanese 'pancake') as popularised in London by venues such as Abeno Too in central London. The proprietors previously ran an okonomiyaki stall in Brick Lane for years before opening in Brixton Village Market, and the quality of the offerings suggests a confident kitchen.

The menu features a brief list of starters and nibbles (edamame, kimchi, tofu salad, miso soup and fried aubergine), but it's the okonomiyaki that takes centre stage. The base is a simple combination of flour, egg and shredded cabbage, but you can choose various ingredients to be added (after all, 'okonomiyaki' is a combination of the Japanese phrases for 'what you like' and 'grilled'): squid, prawn, chicken, pork, or more interesting combinations such as that seen in the 'Okan special' (kimchi, prawn, sweetcorn and squid).

All are topped with the requisite Japanese mayonnaise, sweet okonomiyaki sauce (a bit like a thickened Worcestershire sauce), dried aonori (green seaweed) and tissue-thin dried bonito fish shavings. Crisp and golden-brown on the outside and packed with the advertised ingredients, there isn't a better okonomiyaki to be found in the capital.
Our pork and noodle okonomiyaki had a lack of sufficient batter to bind, so the result resembled yakisoba (stir-fried noodles, which are also available) - but it was still extremely satisfying.

To drink, there are pots of organic Japanese teas and soft drinks; you can bring your own alcohol, for a corkage fee of £1. Service is cheerful, and the staff are good at explaining the concept of okonomiyaki to the uninitiated. When it gets busy, however, expect to wait a while and consider taking your bill to the counter for a speedier transaction.