http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa Asakusa - London, 265 Eversholt Street, NW1 1BA, United Kingdom en http://cdn.trustedplaces.com/i/uploads/placepics/3199_d327ae62.140.jpg http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/1031t7i
Review by andybrown

Rating: 5.00
Tags: lively, seafood, cheap eat, good value, crowded, japanese
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.]]> Thu, 22 Oct 2009 01:13:43 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/1031t7i853762721 andybrown lively seafood cheap eat good value crowded japanese 51.534451 -0.138543 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/159wu7
Review by Kayspace

Rating: 3.00
Tags:
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!]]> Thu, 23 Apr 2009 09:20:13 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/159wu7304096255 Kayspace 51.534451 -0.138543 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/141us8
Review by justinteractive

Rating: 5.00
Tags: lively, good value, crowded, japanese
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.]]> Fri, 20 Feb 2009 13:08:35 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/141us81266205058 justinteractive lively good value crowded japanese 51.534451 -0.138543 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/135tg7
Review by mjh21

Rating: 4.00
Tags: japanese, good value
Food is amazing, but downstairs smells too much like the gents...]]> Fri, 23 Jan 2009 19:12:56 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/135tg72078280671 mjh21 japanese good value 51.534451 -0.138543 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/1y2pi8
Review by stantoncarlisle

Rating: 5.00
Tags:
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.]]> Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:11:19 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/1y2pi8617666235 stantoncarlisle 51.534451 -0.138543 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/181kj8
Review by LOVEANDKATE

Rating: 4.00
Tags: japanese, good value
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! : )


]]> Tue, 09 Sep 2008 23:42:58 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/181kj81151228079 LOVEANDKATE japanese good value 51.534451 -0.138543 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/1t5ax8
Review by yvonnep

Rating: 4.00
Tags: lively, family & home feel, cheap eat, japanese
Great Japanese food, cheap and cheerful. Can be difficult to get a reservation but it's worth the effort. Recommended.]]> Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:13:45 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/1t5ax82104148253 yvonnep lively family & home feel cheap eat japanese 51.534451 -0.138543 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/1h9a37
Review by Rossmcross

Rating: 4.00
Tags: japanese, cheap eat, good value
Not the fanciest of places, but great food and not full of city boys. Good value...]]> Sun, 10 Aug 2008 23:51:14 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/1h9a37277054119 Rossmcross japanese cheap eat good value 51.534451 -0.138543 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/142aq9
Review by lenalouise

Rating: 5.00
Tags: japanese, cheap eat, good value, crowded
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.]]> Sun, 27 Jul 2008 13:20:19 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/142aq91516902339 lenalouise japanese cheap eat good value crowded 51.534451 -0.138543 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/1y39h8
Review by alaburb

Rating: 2.00
Tags: japanese
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...]]> Thu, 17 Jul 2008 23:43:14 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/1y39h8471995704 alaburb japanese 51.534451 -0.138543 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/1d09a9
Review by CarlySteven

Rating: 5.00
Tags: japanese, good value
I live very near Asakusa and that makes me happy! The food is fantastic - if you're on your own or part of a pair, head to the back of the restaurant where you can sit on stools and watch the chef prepare your dinner.]]> Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:23:29 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/1d09a91142552657 CarlySteven japanese good value 51.534451 -0.138543 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/1x04s9
Review by sevs

Rating: 5.00
Tags: japanese, family & home feel, cheap eat, good value, crowded
i love sashimi and this restaurant is my favourite and the least pretentious place i know. make sure you book first otherwise you might not get a table! ]]> Wed, 10 Oct 2007 11:24:02 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/1x04s91506900185 sevs japanese family & home feel cheap eat good value crowded 51.534451 -0.138543 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/1m2089
Review by amoneg

Rating: 3.00
Tags: japanese, "good value", sushi
Great food. Good prices. One thing I really like about Asakusa is the way the menu is posted on the walls in true Japanese style. Be sure to try the Asakusa salad. Delish!!]]> Thu, 16 Nov 2006 18:47:12 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/1m2089145198458 amoneg japanese "good value" sushi 51.534451 -0.138543 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/1e30z8
Review by andrew

Rating: 5.00
Tags: crowded, good value, sushi
I've been struggling to find good sushi in this town that wasn't absurdly overpriced and think this is it. The sushi quality was all very high, the other items on the menu were great, and the price was very reasonable. Highly recommend.]]> Fri, 06 Oct 2006 12:34:51 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/1e30z8919493049 andrew crowded good value sushi 51.534451 -0.138543 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/1b4069
Review by Mez

Rating: 4.00
Tags: great food, Family & Home feel, quality, japan, north London, good value, authentic, sushi, japanese, restaurant
First thing you should know about me is that I'm absolutely fanatical about sushi. Second thing, is that I like my food and I'll travel to the other face of the planet to get it. Well with Asakusa, you don't need to go all the way to Japan to feel you're there. Looks nothing special from the outside nor from the inside in terms of deco, but certainly has a lot to offer. The food is really fantastic. You'll mostly find Japanese people there, which is an obvious sign of quality. It's on the cheap side too. One of the best Japanese restaurants in London in my view.]]> Wed, 20 Sep 2006 16:52:03 +0000 /review/uk/london/restaurant/1g82v7/asakusa/1b40692144317338 Mez great food Family & Home feel quality japan north London good value authentic sushi japanese restaurant 51.534451 -0.138543