I was invited to the Harvey Nichols branch to try out their ‘Tokyo Tea Party’ – a very quirky, very stylish, very Instagrammable experience that was only missing one thing: the tea. If you want that, you gotta pay extra. But what it lacked in tradition it made up for with a first-class yet affordable menu, which I’m pretty sure is down to chef Scott Hallsworth’s Nobu credentials. I mean, honey BBQ short rib puffs? Freshly-made donuts? A confit duck and taro croquette? That’s a seriously hip selection of savoury and sweet dishes that also included a fine salmon and avocado maki with rocket aioli.  And the cocktails we ordered separately weren’t too shabby either.  Check out pics from my recent visit below – but for more deets, visit: www.kurobuta-london.com.

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This popular ramen bar specialises in “tonkotsu” ramen, which is the Beyoncé of soup broths, where pork marrow bones have been simmered for hours until you’re left with something rich and tasty – like Bey really. The Japanese and ramen-lovers can’t get enough of the stuff and on the evening we popped in, business is booming.

Accompanied by my buddy (who also finds ramen a bit so-so), it took us a moment to get our heads around how they do ramen here. Ordering the kale and chicken kaarage (fried chicken) was simple enough, and they both tasted great. But getting into the main attraction involved figuring out how we wanted our noodles first – extra firm, firm, regular or soft? – then deciding whether we wanted the original ramen or a fancier version, the chashu-men which comes with pork collar (which is what, exactly? We didn’t know…). And then, working out if we wanted any toppings, like charred black garlic sauce or spicy red miso paste.

Bearing in mind that my only flavour reference is water, we decided to go all out.  The chashu-men topped with the miso paste and garlic sauce – everything that would ensure that this meal wouldn’t pass for H20. And you know, the plan worked.  While I can’t say I  slurped the rest of the broth once the noodles were done, I can say I liked it, and it was much better than I imagined.

Have you been to Kanada-Ya? Are you a fan of tonkotsu ramen? Let me know in the comments…

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The USP:   Murakami wants you to enjoy Grade-A Japanese food without the Nobu price tag, yet as my dinner partner put it, this ain’t no Yo Sushi either.  A fine dining philosophy is at the core of every last dish, cocktail and even the customer service – so we wouldn’t be surprised if one day you may need to queue to get in.

The food: Dishes not only taste incredible, but they look like works of art.  Our recent favourites were the tuna takaki – a fresh, sashimi style starter with grapefruit and onion salsa – and the moreish popcorn tempura with spicy yuzu mayo. And for mains, I couldn’t sing the praises of the spicy maguro enough. Fresh from their robata grill, this tuna with spicy teriyaki is ridiculously good.

Budget: Beyond reasonable. The sushi averages around the £8 mark for sashimi, nigiri or rolls  – while £8 for a generous starter and around £13/14 for a main will hardly break the bank.  The scales tip once you get into the cocktails but the fruity Murakami Cosmo (£8.50) or the X-Rated Pornstar (£9) with its flaming passion fruit are worth it.

Good for: Post-work, post-shopping or post-theatre shenanigans.

Visit murakami.london for more details. Check out more pics on our Tumblr.

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A Wednesday evening found us tucking into a hearty offering of miso soup (£3.20), gyoza dumplings (£3.85) and a delicious teriyaki chicken bento box which came with three side salads, multigrain rice and pickles (£10.95).  A major plus point here is that you definitely get your money’s worth – after eventually finishing my bento box I was so full, I realised I could’ve given those gyoza dumplings a miss, as gorgeous as they were.

But I did have a little room for dessert (of course…!)  and a matcha gateau was surprisingly the evening’s pièce de résistance ; it was delicately sweet and had that moreish, creamy texture of American cheesecake. Not surprisingly, it’s a feature of their Afternoon Tea (which has given me another reason to return).

So the next time you’re in the area to visit the V&A or the Science Museum,  a drop-in to Tombo for lunch or dinner would be a very good idea, especially if you’re a fan of Japanese food done well.  For more details visit www.tombodeliandcafe.com and check out more pics from our recent visit below! 

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Beer & Buns is open Monday through Saturday from 5pm till late (until end July) and can be found Upstairs @ K10 on 3 Appold Street EC2A 2AF. For more information, visit  www.beerandbuns.co.uk.  Check out pics from our recent visit below!

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Smiling staff quickly served our lychee cocktails (beautiful, we might add) and the highly recommended Hamachi Usuzukuri – sliced yellowtail with avocado mousse, grated mooli with truffle oil. But it was the sushi we were most impressed with: the heavenly 10-piece chef selection was well-presented, fresh and authentic enough for us to believe the chef’s here know what they’re doing – and it’s never by halves. There’s places in the capital that may go one better of course, but Nizuni do a great enough job to put them on your restaurant hit list.  Visit this weekend. 

For more info, visit: http://www.nizuni.com/

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Settling down at our table we opted for a large platter that involved four different Maki rolls, six of each (but only one of which was vegetarian but the staff are probably accommodating enough to change that if required), two miso soups with Tofu and what they call ‘warm mixed Japanese mushroom salad‘ – but I would call stir fried button mushrooms with japanese flavours. The sushi had some reassuring imperfections that spelt made on the premises. A smallish selection of standard fillings are available with slightly more interesting extras such as soft shell crab. Presentation was impeccable, elegant and refined – perfect for a cocktail drinking group to share.

Our large platter was supposed to satisfy 3-4 but just about filled two hungry women so don’t expect to leave bursting (particularly with prices reflecting the neighbourhood –  our platter was £40). But that isn’t the nature of Kumo – this is a place to while away the hours, a marriage of cocktails and sushi (in the true way sushi should be eaten – i.e. as a snack not a meal) and the attentive, friendly staff make this all the more easy.  (Words: Laura Thornley) 

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