Ramen (Ra-meen)

I had burgers, and then it was pizza.

I’ve decided for 2016 I’m going to go on a hunt round London to find the best ramen – I realise half the year has gone already (what!) but I unknowingly started this a while back, I obviously have some subconscious obsession with noodles and broth.

So, here it is – the ongoing list:

Kanada-Ya - Haymarket

It’s difficult not to say this without an enthusiastic ya! at the end, which is half the reason why I like this place.

Like most trendy Asian spots these days, this place is pretty small and non-bookable (of course). However, we were seated pretty quickly after a trip to the Vogue exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery on a Friday night. Although, the strong lemon perfume coming from the toilets was slightly distracting – on the plus side, it was the lemon I could smell and not anything else.

I went for the traditional pork broth. I love pork, especially pork belly, so if it’s on the menu, it’s a must. The broth was probably one of the best I’ve had. It wasn’t too salty, light and creamy but still enough flavour to complement the noodles. I don’t usually end up drinking all of the broth but on this occasion it was all gone, and I was tempted to order a second bowl. On the other hand, that meant I was still hungry after a bowl which, to me, is considered a negative.

The noodles were decent – but they don’t quite match the elasticity of Tonkotsu (see below).

The menu is also quite small with not much choice to ‘pick and mix’ unlike other places – there was also no egg, which paired with the 3 thin slices of pork probably makes all the difference in my hunger.

Bone Daddies – various locations

I see Bone Daddies as more of a Westernised-Asian place. If you haven’t been to its bottomless brunch at its Flesh and Buns then do it. But based on ramen alone – it’s fun but not the best.

Menu wise – it’s great. Lots of choice, and the chance to pick anything you want and add it in.

However, the broth is generally quite salty and a little too ‘stock cube-y’ for my liking. Also, with the adding of elements, it ends up being quite pricey.

It’s a great place to hang out with friends and looks great when it arrives on your table but I wasn't a fan of the broth...Also note, it has been over a year since I've been so things may have changed since then.

I had some extra 'cock scratchings' to my bowl

Tonkotsu – Soho

Being in Soho, you can imagine the queues can get quite ridiculous, but turn up quickly after work and you can get a seat almost immediately. Winner. As you come in, you can see the noodle masters at work, pulling and stretching fresh noodles – there is nothing more appetising than that.

Let’s start with the broth – it was good. Creamy and full of flavour – although on the more salty side for me.

Noodles – this was always going to get a 10 out of 10. The fact that you can see them making fresh noodles – you know it’s going to be good. They also ask how you like your noodles – firm, soft, medium, which is a bonus.

The egg was awesome – perfect combination of soft and hard egg, it had also been soaked in some sort of concoction which really added a different flavour to what can sometimes be a bland egg white.

This was slightly more on the pricey side – we went for ramen, drinks and a couple of starters and added up to around £50 – which for noodles and soup does seem a bit out there. Even though the soft, silky tofu was good – I didn’t think it was worth the £6 – especially as it was served as is with a bit of sauce and spring onions.

Ippudo, Covent Garden

Opposite another branch of Kanada-Ya with the queues spilling out, it’s tempting to shout across the road and tell them to come to Ippudo where they have a bar AND bigger space meaning more tables. 

Although they do get quite busy later on. From the outside, this place looks a bit more high end compared to your usual ramen places but don’t misunderstand – this menu has lots of choice but fundamentally is all about the ramen (although I got greedy eyes and got myself a steamed bun).

I rather enjoyed this bowl of love. Good portion size with the choice to add more meat/egg/veg. The broth was perfect – light, not salty. The added vinegar and spicy ‘red stuff’ really added a bit of something extra.

The meat was good – thicker slices although I could have had more. The egg wasn’t halved which is quite difficult to eat when all you have are chopsticks and an Asian soup spoon.

The service was good and staff friendly. I would definitely come here  again – this could be on par with Kanada-Ya’s broth. The noodles weren’t as good as Tonkotsu, but overall – this was my favourite of all the ramen.

The steamed bun is really good too - the meat is delicious and no soggy bun. Hooray!

Shoryu, Soho
I rather enjoyed the feel and ambience in this place. The ramen was excellent. It had enough meat and half an egg. The noodles had the ideal elasticity. It was a great ramen but there was nothing in particular that stood out for me. Everything was at a high standard, the broth is cooked for 12 hours and is not too salty, but it was just lacking something.

The service wasn't overly great once we were sat down in the corner along the bar facing the windows and back to the rest of the restaurant but if you're not in a rush, a good place to sit and chat.

The pork bun I had was very good too - although not overly sure on the two thick slices of cucumber with it. Very good steamed bun but doesn't beat Ippudo.

Damn! Sexy Fish, Mayfair

As a little birthday treat to myself I decided that I would snap up the chance to book a table for the one and only, and oh-so-trendy, Sexy Fish restaurant on the corner of Berkeley Square. 

What I actually did was try to book a table four months in advance, and then set myself a little reminder to go back exactly a month before my birthday to book a table. I was determined to get a table at the Asian fish and seafood restaurant. Oh yes. 

Luckily my precise planning paid off, I did get a table, and I didn’t have long to wait when 20 June came round. After a slight hiccup (I was flying back from Amsterdam that day - both my flight and the train from the airport were delayed) I got there, albeit half an hour late. The staff were very accommodating however, as my friends arrived on time, and explained the situation. Note, you’re given a two hour table time. 

So, finally, I could relax and we got stuck in! The dishes work in the new trendy way - which is small plates to share tapas style. The waiter recommend three dishes each but we were informed that if we ordered too much he would let us know which was awfully helpful of him. It was a very difficult decision as we wanted to order one of each dish, alas our wallets would not allow it. I was also very envious of the table next to us who had the whole ice platter with sashimi shebang thing in the middle of the table. 

To start:

Octopus Carpaccio with lime and ginger vinaigrette, pickled shallots

Don’t underestimate this dish - who would know that you could describe octopus as delicate? The very, very thinly sliced octopus actually made a great start to the proceedings. Matched with the sharpness of the vinaigrette and the crunch of pickled shallots, it was very moorish. 

Tartare of Beef with sour plum, pickles and squid ink crisps

This plate was an all round winner with our 4-piece diners. I’ve personally never had raw beef (and usually would not appeal to me) but this was so fresh and so well-seasoned that we all agreed we could have our own plate. This was simply superb. I have no faults with this. Give me more. 

Wagyu Beef Gunken with white miso, truffle

This was a bulkier plate of treats which to be honest was good, every ingredient could be tasted, but compared to the rest of the plates, was a bit nondescript for me (sorry).

Grilled Avocado, crispy tofu, lime dressing and baby herbs

At first I was a bit like ‘can I really come to Sexy Fish and order some of the most basic foods like avocado and tofu?’ Yes is the answer to that. Light and creamy (applies to both), you can’t not like avocado really, but probably would recommend you to order something a bit more ‘out the box’ - you are in a restaurant called Sexy Fish after all. 

The middle section:

Prawn Gyoza - soy and ginger dressing

The dressing perfectly matched the prawns. Bonus points too for not just giving one each to the diner (as you sometimes get at restaurants like this) - there was an extra one we all fought for. 

Crispy Soft Shell Crab Nuoc Chan dressing

I’m a big fan of soft shell crab so this was a great choice. I also liked that it was already cut into portions - little details like that make a big difference. 

Maple Glazed Pork Belly Skewers - Yuzu ranch

Wherever I go, pork belly has to be ordered. That’s the way I roll. I could have done with a few more skewers, but it was meaty and fell off the skewer so tenderly. The maple glaze added an extra ‘oomph’ to the meat which complimented our choice of dishes perfectly as until now, we hadn’t had anything too meaty.

Octopus skewers with potato

Unlike the carpaccio - this is the typical octopus I think of. Bouncy and full of personality. Potato was an odd choice but I ate it all the same. 

The big stuff:

Miso glazed Chilean Sea Bass - artichoke three ways

This was one of my favourites of the night. I love sea bass anyway - it’s one of my favourite fish but teamed with miso it was always going to be a winner. Cooked to perfection, flaky and soft on the inside, full of flavour on the outside. I only wish there was more. 

Whole Lobster 700g - Ponzo and Smoked Bernaise

Already snapped and meat out, we were raring to go. We had three sauces served with it, unsure of the other one, but it seemed like a barbecue flavour oil/dressing. Whatever it was, it was delicious and went well with the lobster. 

Dessert:
This was when the night truly made a turn for the even better. We were four happy, greedy piggies. We almost ordered all of them on the menu (not kidding), but we decided we would order extra ice creams to go with it as the flavours were just so unique and tantalising. 

My Birthday White and Dark Chocolate Tofu with candied cocoa nibsOk, so the birthday bit isn’t actually part of the name, but it was a very welcome surprise when my tofu dessert came with a candle and my name written in chocolate (forget about your name in lights - this is what real dreams are made of). To be honest, I only ordered this dessert because it was different and not your average joe. I was a bit worried that it would be a bit ‘moussey’ which I don’t like, but luckily the tofu is more sturdy and had a substantial texture. The white and dark chocolate wasn’t too sweet and worked with the candied cocoa nibs - which was a bit like granola. 

The layered tofu dessert

Mango Mochi with mandarin and jasmine sorbet
Caramelised Pineapple and Coconut Cake
Gariguette Strawberry and Mint Panna Cotta with milk snow

I can’t personally comment on the other desserts but everyone gave their thumbs up. I must say the panna cotta looked very pretty. 

We also went for a range of Granny Smith and Sake sorbet; Rice crispy and green tea, soy & caramel and malted milk and honeycomb ice cream which all came on a freezed bowl and wafer in the shape of fish tail. Safe to say we were all rather excited when the desserts arrived. 

Away from food, the service was great. We had a really friendly and helpful waiter and also topped up our wine with efficiency but not too over-enthusiastic (the white wine we had was also very splendid - not that I remember which one it was). We had a nice little table in the corner by the window and looking back into the restaurant, it’s not as zany as you would imagine, but the fish hanging above the bar is a rather extravagant to the red and golds which creates for a dramatic look. 

Our bill came to over £330 including a bottle of wine and beer for four people, making it roughly £84 per person, which is way above my normal spending. The plates are fairly small but I think this place is more about the quality of food and you just have to overlook the quantity somewhat. To be honest, I personally would pay that for Sexy Fish - the quality of each dish was superb and I was talking about it for days after. I think this was a birthday meal I won’t forget. 

After gathering a combined score from all four of us - RATING: 4.25 out 5 (I personally give it 4.5)

Dessert Restaurant by Sarah Barber at Hotel Cafe Royal

We paid a little visit, which turned out to be a huge visit in terms of waist band (and pocket), to the Hotel Cafe Royal on Regent Street when we heard about the first ever dessert restaurant.

That's not entirely fact - they have savoury dishes so you don't 'overdo' it (highly impossible).

To be honest though, I haven't got a sweet tooth but I just couldn't resist. We were a group of 4 - 2 of us were sweet people, 2 of us not so much, so we had a good equal mix amongst us at the table.

There is a choice of 2 menus - the 3 course sweet OR savoury, the 4 course pick 'n' mix and the all out 5 course Sarah in Wonderland, named after the chef. All comes with wine pairing for a hefty price.

I decided on the spot that I would go for the 'all out' menu - 5 course WITH wine pairing - I'm only going to come here once, let's be honest, so I might as well - as my new motto goes.

Heritage beetroot and Golden Cross - goat’s cheese, wild honey, beetroot snow with Pinot Blanc “Les Barriques”, Domaine Ostertag, Alsace, 2012. I'm not the biggest beetroot fan but mixed with the goat's cheese - it was a match made in heaven.

Wye Valley asparagus - green asparagus, quail egg, truffle mayonnaise with Pouilly Fumé La Rambarde, Domaine Landrat-Guyollot, Loire, 2012. This dish was by far a favourite for us on the table. It was fresh and light and combined perfectly with the mayonnaise. The wine was also very good - we were given two wines for the dish which we weren't too sure about but both were very refreshing. 

Yuzu yoghurt - lemon curd, lemon sherbet, meringues with Côteaux du Layon, St Aubin, Domaine des Forges, Loire, 2013. This created a stir for many diners as the presentation of lego was just too much to take in. How could anyone not be excited by this dish?! However, the overall dish was slightly disappointing - the mousse texture somehow made this taste quite bland and perhaps needed something a bit more - or maybe bigger lemon meringues?

Peach Melba - raspberries, almond custard, peaches with Château Roumieu, Sauternes, 2012. The almond custard came in a squeezy tube which was fun, but the whole dish was rather bland, the textures together just didn't quite work for me and there was not enough almond. I was also not a fan of the sweet wine, even eating the dessert, the wine was just too sweet - it was almost like drinking pure syrup. I think this was the point where I was peering over the edge...

Wham Bam Pow - chocolate box filled with an olive oil biscuit, passionfruit and ginger pate d’fruit, chocolate pop with Akashi-Tai Shirome Ginjo Umeshu, Hyogo, Japan. This was a rather exciting last dish - everything edible and the popping candy is always a fun idea, however, at this point I was almost about to explode and so I just couldn't get through the chocolate mousse (again, what's with the mousse)? The Japanese sweet wine was also quite interesting - it tasted of prunes which was strangely addictive.  

As a bonus, you get these cakes (yes, these are edible) when you pay the bill - if you hadn't had enough sweet stuff already. A good old fashioned victoria sponge but the marmalade was just too much and I could only manage a bite. 

On the whole, it was a fun experience. It's definitely a place you go to for a special occasion and the staff are very friendly and helpful. My 5 course with wine pairing came to £70 which, for me personally, is quite a big dent in my purse for what I had. Don't get me wrong - it's not the quantity that is the problem, but the concept as a whole. It was perhaps a bit too much sweet stuff - and that came from the diner friends who liked the sweets too. The ideas and the themes are great but think the course could be rearranged slightly to allow diners to enjoy the last few dishes more (as opposed to forcing it down because you're almost nearing the end). The lasting thought from the table was that everyone preferred the savoury asparagus dish as the favourite - which tells you that maybe an individual doesn't need all that dessert after all...