Asakusa

andybrown

positive feedback loop 22nd October 2009

1 found this helpful

This is how the universe operates, on a good day.

A friend, (let's call her Cassie, not just because it's her name but because she's my friend and deserves a mention due to her pivotal role in the entire episode) texts to see if I'm free for dinner, is seeking sushi, asks me to recommend somewhere because YO! SHITHOLE! isn't very good and she doesn't have an awful lot of money and she knows I'm a fussy curmudgeon who won't eat somewhere awful, much less allow my friends to do so.

And I have to admit that I don't know where to go, don't have the first idea, so I look up the sites that I trust (this being one, there are others, but they don't matter right now, you're wishing you skipped this bit between the brackets aren't you, yes so am I) and come up with one name that seems to be at the top of everyone's list.

Asakusa.
It ticks all my boxes in terms of a good evening in prospect -
1) it is situated somewhere extremely unlikely, in this case round the back of Mornington Crescent
2) it has a reputation of always being full. of Japanese people. who presumably know their stuff
3) everyone mentions how crap it looks, how the menus are illegible, how the downstairs smells of toilet, and how these things didn't matter at all once the food arrives
4) it's cheap.

I called. They didn't answer. They aren't even open till 6.
And here's where the virtuous circle of restaurant reviewing comes into play - someone had written that you can probably get a table if you turn up really early. Someone else had written that you should make sure you get a table upstairs. Someone else had written that you should order a mixed selection from the dazzlingly long and complicated menu, get some hot sake, and kick back. Needless to say, it was invaluable advice, and we followed it to the letter.

So when we turned up at 6, it was empty, but every single table was reserved. We were given the option of leaving at 7:45 and we took it.

And it was incredible. The sake was warm and dangerous, the mixed selection of maki and nigiri was delicate and wonderful and just insane.
The food was so good, in fact, that even when we ordered some more bits, and Cassie chose something that had the mouthfeel of a nuclear snot eclair and tasted worse, I still loved it. And then the chicken hearts. Oh, the chicken hearts! And the service was quick, unobtrusive and kind.

And then, all too soon, we had to go. Had we stayed, perhaps the bill would have crept up to somewhere more damaging, but as it was, we were pretty much full, a little bit tipsy and genuinely delighted for £27. Between two people!

So thank you to everyone who wrote useful things. Here's my contribution - after you've had your fill of Japanese loveliness, stroll up Camden High Street to the Blues Kitchen, and blow all the extra money you saved on bourbons with silly names and yummy cocktails. That there is a good night out, that is.

Kayspace

23rd April 2009

0 found this helpful

The food is good, no doubt! You have to make a reservation, even in the middle of the week. But all that's actually okay. What was really funny was that it took them more than 15 minutes to sort out our bill! In that time, they could have got us out the door and someone else in! We also had to ask a few times for our sashimi that didn't arrive till after our hot food did!

justinteractive

Did someone say good value Japanese, in London? 20th February 2009

3 found this helpful

Not a place you might happen upon nestled as it is between two old school establishments but you'd miss a treat if you walked on by.

Asakusa feels like the real thing, a busy little eaterie transferred from Tokyo at the end of the 70's and remains in a time warp. It's not glam but it's full of it's home nationals and if it's great Japanese food you're after at affordable prices this is the place. The food is outstanding, in fact it's as good as if not better than uptown peers Roka & Zuma.

Go there, eat sashimi and get at least one sea urchin down you.

mjh21

Great, but sit upstairs 23rd January 2009

0 found this helpful

Food is amazing, but downstairs smells too much like the gents...

stantoncarlisle

Real Mom and Pop place 28th October 2008

4 found this helpful

Step out of Camden into Japan! Asakusa has the feel and downhome buzz of real Japanese Mom and Pop place. And the worn but thick carpet and the wooden pub beams on the ceiling add to the over all effect. The salads are excellent. The ingredients fresh. The pork with the Bulldog sauce dip was scrumptious. Crab soup with egg was a tasty, fishy starter. All the dishes I tried were excellent but what makes this place is the welcoming feel and sense of relaxed theatre. Prices are reasonable too - many of the Japanese clientele come after 8 - if you want a table book before then and you'll have no problem.

LOVEANDKATE

CUTE, AUTHENTIC AND DELICIOUS 9th September 2008

3 found this helpful

I decided to try out Asakusa on reading the reviews on Trusted Places and.....you're ALL right- its ace!

I took everyones advice and booked a table. Upstairs was reccomended but we could only get downstairs, which I enjoyed all the same.
The sushi and sashimi took a while but we filled the time by having amazing starters such as half an aubergine cooked in a sweet rich sauce, broccoli cooked to perfection [not too soft] with a sweet sauce and delicious japanese fish cakes.

the food just kept on coming.

The sashimi was beautiful and we couldnt eat all the sushi so they let us take it home in a little box.

Yes it is a bit grimey but more authentic and yes, next time I will try something off the menus written in japanese on the wall!!!

Can't wait to go again and tell all my friends! : )

sue at 10/09/08

I really need to get to this place ASAP!

LOVEANDKATE at 14/09/08

GO GO GO!!

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yvonnep

Cheap & cheerful with great food 21st August 2008

0 found this helpful

Great Japanese food, cheap and cheerful. Can be difficult to get a reservation but it's worth the effort. Recommended.

Rossmcross

grubby place, but great food! 10th August 2008

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Not the fanciest of places, but great food and not full of city boys. Good value...

lenalouise

sweet sushi 27th July 2008

4 found this helpful

Sokratis was spot on about this place. When we were outside looking at the menu, a group of Australians who were having a fag break started raving on to us about how amazing the sushi is and that it was definitely worth the wait for a table. They convinced us by their enthusiasm even though we were starving and wanted to eat as soon as possible.

After we were seated, the waitress explained that there was only 1 sushi chef catering for a packed restaurant so we only ordered a few pieces of sushi. Sam ordered tonkatsu with rice and I had the asakusa udon which was basically udon noodle soup with a bit of everything - prawn tempura, japanese fish cake, seaweed, egg etc. We also got a starter of agedashi nasu which is deep-fried aubergine in a kind of soy/dashi based stock. It was pretty nice but not as good as the one from Tokiya in Clapham Junction.

The main meals were really decent and I noticed that they had a lot of other japanese dishes on the menu that I haven't really seen much in other places so I'm looking forward to trying them out.

Now to the sushi. Well, I'm not sure I can stress how fantastic it was. They got the fish-to-rice ratio just right. One of my pet hates is when they slice the fish so thin that you can't taste the texture of it, only rice. Also, the fish was really flavoursome which must be down to it being really fresh and of a high quality.

The only downside to the meal is that it didn't fulfil my sushi craving, it just made it worse. I'll have to go back pretty sharpish.

sokratis at 27/07/08

Hey Lenalouise,
I'm really glad you liked it. I get the same thing as you. Every time I go there, I'll try a new dish, but I will also always spot something that looks great on another table.
I guess it keeps it exciting ;-)

lenalouise at 28/07/08

I know! I love places like this though, some restaurants are really good but you get bored of it after going twice.

I'm tempted to pick a random thing that's written in Japanese on the wall. A shot in the dark but might end up getting something totally random and traditional!

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alaburb

What is all the fuss about? 17th July 2008

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Why is everyone so impressed by this place? Those who are impressed by the food in the place are sorely missing out on the great Japanese food London has to offer. Service - uninterested. Ambience - greasy hole. Food - all-too-standard fare cooked without love. Want a taste of Japanese mediocrity ? Look no further...