Chotto Matte for Sunday Brunch – restaurant review
Chotto Matte is one of my favourite Soho restaurants. It’s original, reasonably priced and the food is always exceptional. I have previously visited for dinner...
Junmai Ginjo from Heavensake – drinks review
Junmai Ginjo is just one of many styles of sake. The differences are derived from the type of rice used, the local water, the skill...
Ippudo in Villiers Street – restaurant review
One couldn’t think of a better location for this latest Ippudo. I have visited one other branch, the one in St Giles Piazza, but I...
New Trends in Japanese Photography – review
Photographers create stories with their cameras. One can have the most expensive equipment but still never rise to being anything more than a holiday snapper....
Chino Latino – restaurant review
Diners at the front tables of Chino Latino have a stunning view To the untutored this location might not seem the best, being on the...
Chotto Matte, Soho – restaurant review
Chotto Matte is Japanese for ‘please wait a minute’. No, dear reader, don’t go thinking that this is a veiled threat of slow service. It’s...
Crunchy Chicken (or Pork) with Yutaka Panko Breadcrumbs – recipe
It seems like anything fried in breadcrumbs is a winner with the whole family. The trick is to present moist meat with plenty of flavour...
Domon Ken: The Master of Japanese Realism – art book review
Domon Ken is one of the most renowned Japanese photographers of the 20th century. One might not recognise his name but one will likely have...
Rafute – Okinawan braised pork belly – recipe
This is one of my favourite ways of eating pork. Rafute is flavourful, tender and moreish. It’s a dish popular in Okinawa in the far...
Ichiryu Hakata Udon House – restaurant review
Ichiryu Hakata Udon House is from the same stable that brings you Japan Centre and the chain of Japanese restaurants, Shoryu. Ichiryu is a well-placed...
Den Udon at Kings Cross – restaurant review
[This venue is now closed] Japanese food is becoming more popular. There have long been very smart Japanese restaurants in London and they have been...
Sunday Brunch – Kurobuta Marble Arch – restaurant review
I confess, I had no idea what to expect. Yes, it was going to be Japanese. But a Sunday Brunch Buffet? How was that going...
Bó Drake, Greek Street – restaurant review
It’s a part of Soho that has been the haunt of those seeking dubious nocturnal delights down the centuries, but also those associated with the...
Umami Kelp and Wasabi – an introduction
London’s Icetank Studio was the venue for an informative and friendly seminar on Umami hosted by the Japanese Culinary Academy UK and supported by JETRO...
Ozeki Dry Sake – drinks review
If we are new to sake we will likely be looking for a mild flavour and a light sake. Yes, sake does indeed have a...
Shirataki Shuzo Atoaji Kiriri Uonuma Junmai Sake – drinks review
The quality junmai sake, made in Uonuma City in Niigata, is a pure sake made of just 100% Japanese rice polished to 65% of its...
Sake: The History, Stories and Craft of Japan’s Artisanal Breweries – book review
I was told to expect a book. I was told to expect a big book. I was told to expect a coffee-table book. What I...
Yuzu Cupcakes with Matcha Tea Frosting – recipe
Looking for Japanese flavours in a dessert but using traditional Western techniques? This could be the recipe for you. Yuzu Cupcakes with Matcha Tea Frosting...
Salmon with Wasabi-Cream Sauce – recipe
Fish with Japanese heat. This is a versatile recipe than can be made when you are home alone, or increase the quantities and you have...
Umami: THE FIFTH TASTE – guidebook review
It’s a buzz-word these days: Umami. It’s a very familiar taste, flavour, sensation on the taste buds but we have only relatively recently put a...