There are about three or so chain Japanese 'restaurants' - Itsu, Wasabi, etc, which serve itty bits of take-away sushi at relatively expensive prices. They'll also serve food court quality chicken/beef teriyaki, chicken curry, 'exotic' udon noodles etc.
The alternative to these places are at the other end of the dining spectrum. Pricey, fine dining experiences that one can hardly go to for a good-value, work lunch.
So it was with much joy that I found Sushi Hiroba near my work. A smart but reasonably priced Japanese/Korean restaurant that has a proper dining area, sushi train and karaoke lounge.
The first time I went there, I ordered the unagi don. God, I miss unagi! It's so hard to find this dish in London. A big piece of eel, grilled with that delightful, sticky marinade. The only bad point was that the rice wasn't hot - luke warm at best. However, it was very filling - I didn't even need to resort to having my usual 3.30pm-itis snack in the afternoon.
Another time, I tood Ms L there. For starters, we shared the takoyaki (fried octopus balls). These were very morish and I loved the tender pieces of octopus (...fresh seafood, I miss you too!).
For mains, Ms L ordered the udon with mixed vegetable tempura. Ms L liked the dish but had wished that the tempura were served separately, as they went quite soggy, quite quickly.
I ordered the chicken teriyaki with rice. The dish is called 'Big Chicken', which I quite like the sound of! Like last time, the rice was luke warm. However, there was a generous serving of (big) chicken thighs, which were delicious. The dish could have done with a little less chicken and more of the salad and pickle - twas a very 'meaty' dish.
Overall
Spacious and comfortable surroundings. Lots of friendly and helpful staff. While there could be minor improvements to the food (eg the rice), overall, the food is pretty good. When I have walked pass this place at night, it's fully packed out and you can see that all the diners are having a good time. Next time I might try the sushi train - from what I could see, the seafood looked particularly fresh and enticing.
Address
Sushi Hiroba
50-54 Kingsway
Holborn WC2B 6EP
Telephone: 020 7430 1888
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