Japanese Restaurant Reviews

Kulu Kulu Sushi: South Kensington Tube

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Kulu Kulu Sushi
39 Thurloe Place
London SW7 2HP
Tel: 020 7589 2225

Why? I took my dad here last time he was in London visiting and he really liked trying out different dishes from the revolving kaiten belt. He requested a second visit!

When? Saturday 27th September, 5.30pm. Not busy when we arrived, but more so when we left.

Impression: Appetising dishes revolve on belt, the green tea is free. The Sri Lankan sushi chef (does anyone know why there are so many Sri Lankan sushi chefs in London?) works diligently away in the middle making fresh dishes.

Prices: The usual plating system is in operation, with plates ranging from £1.50 to £3.90. And it really is refreshing to help yourself to unlimited free green tea.

Service:
Polite. The chef promply prepared my request for fresh inari. I had a nice chat with the staff about the baffling preponderance of Sri Lankans working there on the way out!

Description of food and drink:
I had a hand roll that I watched the chef prepare (see photo!) – I couldn’t resist the combination of an ‘ebi fry’ (fried shrimp) with avocado. It was excellent, although possibly a bit steep at £3.90.

I adore the Nasu Miso here (aubergine in soy bean sauce). It’s so creamy.

My dad picked a green seaweed dish that I had not tried before. It was lovely and crunchy. When I asked what type of seaweed it was, none of the staff knew. I guess it comes pre-packed!

Everything else that we tried (sashimi, sushi, chicken) was pretty standard – but rather tasty and worth the price.

Toilets: OK.

Come again?
Yes. This is a calm, affordable place to grab a bite at lunch or dinner time. There are also branches of the dependable chain in Soho and Covent Garden. Be aware that they close for two and a half hours in the afternoon – from about 2.45pm – 5.30pm (branches vary).


revolving - 回転
appetising - 食欲を刺激する
diligently - 勤勉に
refreshing - 新たになること
baffling - 迷うこと
preponderance - 優位
steep - 高い
standard - 正常
affordable - 安く
dependable - 信頼できる

Asakusa: Mornington Crescent Tube

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Asakusa
265 Eversholt Street,
Camden,
London NW1 1BA
Tel: 0871 3328033

Why? Kazu absolutely loves this place. He’s been raving about the Yudebuta Ninniku Miso.

When? Friday 12th September, 9.40pm. This was the only reservation available a couple days beforehand. We stayed until 12.30pm though!

Impression: The place was really buzzing with youthful mixed-nationality groups when we arrived, rather dingy, with questionable décor. Authentic atmosphere, with Japanese menus up on the walls.

Prices: Cheap as chips! The food just kept coming, as Tanaka ordered more and more. I must admit was getting worried about the cost, especially as we had a gigantic bottle of sake too. In the end I was relived to find it was an affordable £19 per person (including the 12.5% service charge!).

Service: Erm… we did wait a full hour for our first dish to arrive! However, the waiting staff were courteous and efficient. The larger-than-life manager lady was charming.

Description of food and drink:
A large bottle of Bishonen (Beautiful Boy) sake went down very well served in overflowing Masu (wooden box cups) with a pinch of salt of the rim.

Of particular note is the Sake Gashira – a salmon head with plenty of meat and a salty, crunchy underside, and the Shimesaba (vingared mackerel sashimi) boasted a melt-in-your-mouth texture. The Yudebuta Ninniku Miso dish was something I’d never tried before: soft, simmered slices of pork, to be eaten wrapped in iceberg lettuce leaves with miso paste and slivers of raw garlic. Lovely. Pleasant Shimeji Bata Yaki butter-fried mushrooms had a bitter aftertaste which I liked.

The Agedashi-doufu (pictured) was just right, creamy and flavourful. The tempura was very nice, but the seemingly-microwaved takoyaki less so.

Toilets: Stinky. Nasty. The pink toilet paper matched the pink walls though!

Come again?
Absolutely. Overall, a surprisingly wide variety of tasty dishes with a few outstanding ones. We had a really fun evening in the laid-back atmosphere. But I wouldn’t go if I was in a hurry to get served.

raving – literally: わめくこと, but meaning 非常に熱狂的に話すこと
beforehand – あらかじめ
buzzing – literally: ぶんぶんうなること, but meaning にぎやか
dingy – 薄汚い
questionable décor – 不審な装飾
authentic – 本物の
cheap as chips – (idiom イディオム) 非常に安く
erm…- エト…
larger-than-life – (idiom イディオム) 印象的で、か重大な非常に課すこと
boasted –自慢される
courteous –礼儀正しい
bitter aftertaste – 苦いあと味
seemingly - 表面上は
stinky –臭い
outstanding – 優秀