The meaning of the word ‘brunch’ seems to have shifted somewhat in the last couple of years, or at least it has in London. Where once it described a late morning meal that fused together breakfast and lunch, it seems increasingly to be used for any weekend lunch menu, even if the restaurant serving it ... Read more »
HyperJapan is a hotly anticipated diary event for lovers of Japanese pop culture across the UK. The show features the latest in gaming and anime (including some of the latest technology such as VR and handroid) and in cosplay and fashion (including kawaii, character clothing and all manner of clothing and accessories). Additional stalls ... Read more »
This is a really happy day. I’m so thrilled that I’m actually sitting here grinning like a loon as I write this, having just this second got home from Bang Bang Oriental. It opened this weekend and I was there like a shot. Bang Bang Oriental, you see, is the replacement for Oriental City which ... Read more »
You probably think you know tofu, don’t you? A wobbly block of bland, white protein much-loved as a meat substitute by vegans and health nuts. But as a card-carrying carnivore, I’m telling you that tofu is a delicious, versatile and nutritious ingredient that should be in everyone’s fridge or store cupboard. Certainly, the flavour is ... Read more »
The method of grinding tea leaves into a powder originated in China during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), but fell out of favour in the centuries to follow. It was not until the practice reached Japan by way of Zen Buddhist monks that it developed into the drink we know today. Image courtesy of Japan Centre ... Read more »
Yes, this is the second Pan Asian restaurant in less than a month, following my visit to Too Too Moo Whetstone at the beginning of the year. Chi Kitchen is located inside Debenhams’ flagship Oxford Street store, though it does have its own external entrance on the corner of Henrietta Place and Marylebone Lane. If ... Read more »
I’m not always complimentary about restaurants that offer more than one cuisine, most typically an array of Pan Asian dishes covering countries across East Asia. Too many of them do none of the dishes justice and the result is disappointment all round. But when a North London restaurant chain invited me to visit the newly ... Read more »
Yokahama China Town is said to be Japan’s largest. There are others in Nagasaki and Kobe – all three were among the first Japanese ports to open to foreign trade and many Chinese traders settled there in the years to follow. Nagasaki is the oldest of the three, established in the 17th century, and is ... Read more »
Izakayas are to Japan what the pub is to the UK. An izakaya is a place for drinking and eating with friends, offering a great drinks list and plenty of small plate sharing dishes to pair with sake, beer or your tipple of choice. Kiri Restaurant is the latest offering from Saga Japanese Restaurants, the ... Read more »
Are you familiar with umami? Discovered (and named) by Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda back in 1908 and known as the fifth taste group (alongside sweet, sour, bitter and salty), umami is most commonly translated as ‘savoury’ or ‘meaty’ and is a flavour profile that most of us enjoy in our food, whether or not we ... Read more »
The Place of Onions, in old Lille. After last night’s rainstorm the intense sticky heat has broken and today is cool, breezy, fresh… I love it! A drop of… [more]
We went to Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire at The Void this morning, an amazing VR experience where we got to be Rebel Alliance members going undercover as… [more]