Kazu

A soothingly plain sushi restaurant on Charlotte Street, Kazu is like a blond-wood panelled oasis for the eyeballs. Following in a noble tradition of Japanese restaurants that don’t ponce around with interior design – the focus is firmly on the food. Most of which is superb.

Hits from the vast menu included exceptionally delicious slithers of yellowtail tuna topped with spikes of jalapeño and bathed in ponzu sauce. This sauce was thin and sharp, every dab a tight little smack for the palate. Next came prawn tempura inside-out rolls: packed with tender asparagus (a nice change from avocado), the sushi rice was firm and still warm, the tempura perfectly light. The sashimi salad, too, was juicy: the sea bream and tuna were excellent quality, and while the salad leaves were a little wet, it was rescued by an intriguingly thick, garlicky dressing. Udon had a lovely slithery bite, while stir-fried pork belly and kimchi was hugely moreish.

One slight disappointment was juicy but bland karaage, which would have benefited from a spicy mayo. But the biggest niggle was the pacing: Kazu was practically empty on my visit, but I was rushed through lunch so quickly I was actually sweating. At these prices, that’s not okay. A pity, because with all that calming woodwork Kazu would be perfect for a quiet, steady feasting sesh. The kind where you become one with your sushi, as your sushi becomes one with you.