Bar de Nada, Nottingham （英国）

Bar de Nada, located in Nottingham’s waning Hockley area (just down the road from the Broadway cinema), provides probably the closest thing to the izakaya dining experience I’ve yet to find in the UK, allowing for leisurely dining throughout the course of an extended drinking session.

A small yet surprisingly spacious “world and Spanish tapas bar,” Bar de Nada is inviting, yet intimate, lively and relaxed. A “dazzling” array of draught and bottled world beers serve as lubricant for the quite excellent, well proportioned and appropriately priced tapas dishes. 

Being regular visitors, my dining partners took care of the orders, none of which disappointed.

Pan y Tomate – delicious, although a lot more garlic should have been thrown into the mix. 

Tortilla Espanola.

Cordeno en Salsa Moruno – tender morsels of moist lamb in a rich, spice and herb casserole. I forget just how many times we re-ordered this dish.

Gambas Pil Pil – succulent prawns fried in olive oil, made sexy with red chilies.

Cazuela de Berenjenas – aubergines casseroled in tomato and herb sauce, topped with (not quite enough) melted cheese.

Albondigas – Robust meatballs in a delicately spiced tomato sauce – again, several orders were made.

Boquerones en Vinagare – pickled white anchovies, good but not as good as “the real thing." 

Pescade al Ajillo – Spanish Mackerel pan fried in garlic.

Great food, better company and decent prices made for a thoroughly enjoyable evening. Probably one of Nottingham’s better casual dining experiences.

0115 9881199

http://www.bardenada.co.uk/

Shrimp & Oyster Bar, Akasaka 赤坂

Escaping the hot, sticky confines of the office resulted in my wandering the even hotter, stickier streets of Shibuya with a couple of hours to kill before meeting Tokyoeater for a spot of dinner. Not much wandering took place and I arrived at Akasaka far too early. As luck would have it, the “resto” my dining partner for the evening had chosen happened to be housed in the same building, the Atrium section next to the Akasaka Biz Tower, as the Delirium Café, a Belgian beer bar that I’d visited last year and completely forgotten about. A bottle or two of Piraat and a few chapters of the iBooks edition of The Adventures of Sherlock Homes (“what the deuce!”) and it was time to visit the Shrimp and Oyster Bar for the evening. 

The relatively plain exterior of the restaurant did not belie greater ostentation within. Very simple, basic even, making it feel more like a cafeteria or diner. The tables were a little on the small side, too, which would turn out to be something of problem.

Guided to the narrow confines of our table, beers were swiftly ordered and an appetizer of chives cream cheese and crackers supplied. Not the best of starts. As is so often the case when two bulls get together, talk was the order of the evening, and in part the quaffing of beer to quell the thirst bequeathed by the hottest Tokyo summer in a decade (or so it’s said), and so it took a while for us to get around to the menu.

As luck would have it, the cover of said menu promoted a set course offering a range of dishes including oysters and several shrimp-based delights. Truth be told, “delights” it too positive a description. Not that the food was bad, it just didn't excite or justify the price. The oysters, served on ice with a couple topped with tomato, feta and basil, were small, and rather lacklustre. A pile of lettuce, black olive, scrambled egg, cheese and ham salad – drizzled in something like the much-maligned Thousand Island dressing, followed. Already there was something of the chain izakaya about the food here. 

Chilled white wine, name escapes me but something to do with oysters, took the edge off the food, and barely touched my dining partner’s lips from what I can recall (sorry…). The waiting staff leave the wine on the bar opposite your table, and attentively poor whenever your glass is near empty. Unfortunately, they pay no attention whatsoever to the pace at which your companion’s glass is being emptied (or not as the case may be). While on the subject of pace, let it be said that the food crashed upon our tawdry board like a tsunami. Before we knew it, there was no space left to set the dishes, and engaged as we were in talk – and as I was in the bottle – we failed utterly to consume at the speed apparently expected. Even after our protestations, it continued in relentless fashion.

A salad, Mediterranean in style, consisting of red and yellow peppers, onions, basil, octopus and shrimp was swiftly followed by deep fried shrimp served with shredded cabbage, bulldog sauce and mayonnaise.  Oddly enough, this utterly “izakaya basic” turned out to be the tastiest part of the meal. Says it all, doesn’t it?

There followed some more shrimp (prawns?) in an oily balsamic soak, complimented by dry bread, a woefully small and thin tasting lasagne and a couple of other dishes I’m sure, though I have neither photograph nor recollection.

The service was okay, polite and increasingly friendly once the waitress revealed her hidden English speaking talents and impending visit to the U.K. Not quite sure I needed to be cornered by her outside the men’s room for a chat every time I visited though…

Tel: 03-3568-3787

Kaffir Lime, Jingumae カフィル ライム、神宮前

The Jingumae neighbourhood nestled behind Meiji Dōri and Omotesando is changing, rapidly. More and more favourite old haunts give way to contemporary structures of glass and steel. Sad as it is, I have to admit the area is being tidied up rather nicely.

One particular backstreet, which once housed a splendid tabehōdai shabushabu-ya and vaguely Western-style bar I used to frequent with a companion-in-arms (now demolished and replaced with a gleaming new edifice), provides not only a quite excellent gyōza restaurant, the name of which I forget, but also a rather charming little “neighbourhood” Thai eatery – Kaffir Lime. Just a couple of minutes brisk walk from Exit 4 of the Chiyoda Line’s Jingumae station, it provides a great respite from the toil of Omotesando shopping.

Introduced to the place a few months ago, by a friend whose recommendations never miss the spot, Kaffir Lime is quickly becoming a favourite. Two unpresuming floors. The lower, street level, with outer walls of sheet-plastic to protect / hide diners from the dust and fumes of the street, the second floor providing a simple interior of wooden floors, rounds tables, chairs and L-shaped counter. Walls adorned with old 1970s Thai movie posters. The kind rendered as paintings rather than photos, back in an era when men were men and women looked better than ever, and in need of men.

Service is polite, to the point and not always prompt. The staff, as far as my colonial eyes can tell, is made of “genuine” Thais, their Japanese tinted with that beautiful soft pronunciation that usually renders their English so charming. All sport bright orange T-shirts, making it easy enough to spot the waiter. Atmosphere is relaxed, busy almost, funky. Good mix of customers, mainly Japanese young and old; Student-types to moneyed Aoyama-bijin.

Today, being not only in hurry but also yet to fully recover from the indulgence of the holiday season, we decided on a light lunch; pork with shredded ginger, shrimp red curry with rice, draught beer and tea-soda. Prices reasonable, portions fair. Draught beer at ¥580, curry with rice at ¥1,050. All served on simple, no-frills tableware. The overall effect is casual. The appearance of the food is good; clean, unfussy.

The pork with shredded ginger, also containing onion, red pepper etc., tasted good. Packed with ginger, strong tasting. Even if the profusion of onion reminds of a London China Town dish… The red curry of shrimp looks so good that I completely forgot to photograph it before tucking in… Five or six reasonable sized shrimps in a rich spicy sauce with a good-sized bowl of rice provided. We shared each dish between the two of us and it made for a well-proportioned light lunch. On a previous visit I had the nama-harumaki (un-fried spring rolls), which served their purpose, and the green curry, which was delightful. Although I’ve yet to try them for myself, many customers were eagerly devouring some kind of spicy ramen noodle dish. Next time!

A fun little place for a lunch or early evening meal, Kaffir Lime makes a pleasant change from the usual Japanese flavour. Busy on weekends and holidays; be prepared to wait for a table for a little while.

Update 11/01/10: Further visits reveal that on weekdays, unless holidays, the full menu is not available. Instead 3 set menus, inspiringly named A, B and C are offered along with a limited selection of standard menu items. Set B is well worth a look; costing just under ¥1,000 and consisting of tasty green curry of chicken, juicy noodles in a spicy soup, white rice, and token offerings of salad and fruit, it's excellent value. The Phuket beer washed it all down nicely too. 

Tel: 03-3400-2918

Huong Viet, Kabukichō フォンベト、歌舞伎町

Assured by our Vietnamese informant that a more authentic Vietnamese dining experience than that offered at Lotus Palace could be had at Kabukichō’s Huong Viet, my dining partner and I fought our way through the crowded Friday night streets of Shinjuku’s east side in search of the place. Located just inside the gate-arch of Kabukichō Ichibangai on the 5th floor of a building of somewhat insalubrious appearance, we emerged from an aging lift to be confronted by an equally run-down stairwell and the entrance to the restaurant. Wondering what we would find inside, we crossed the threshold to be greeted by an accented, lilting “irasshai” from a young lady in traditional Vietnamese costume.

The dining area is fairly basic. The large room, sparsely decorated, with many worn looking dark wood tables and chairs that brought to mind countless Chinese restaurants had the unwelcoming aspect of a dining hall. Being seated at a table for four by a large window looking down

on to the busy streets below we supped on icy Kirin beer and gin & tonic of generous strength. Looking around the restaurant, which despite it being already 8pm was woefully lacking in customers, I found a well-stocked bar to the rear and walls and ceiling decorated with calligraphy, paintings of Vietnam’s countryside, traditional Vietnamese bamboo hats and delicate insect cages (devoid of inhabitants.) In the background suitably quiet, ambient Asian music played. The waitress, all smiles and plump limbs, supplied menus filled with photos of delicious looking, colourful dishes. A cursory glance suggested similar fare to that at Lotus Palace.

As customers began to trickle in, mainly groups of ladies and couples, we tried to ignore the constant rattle and hum of the window shaking with force of the traffic below while ordering our meal. The range of dishes on offer was wide and varied, although shrimps feature in many. Prices were not extortionate but slightly higher than those paid in Akasaka, which was something of a surprise. More beer and three goi cuon (uncooked spring roll) stuffed with shrimps, bacon, shredded daikon and lettuce arrived in a bamboo basket. Of a good size, the top-most was cut in half so that we had no need to argue over the division of the dish. A nice touch. Dipped into a sweet dipping sauce into which crushed nuts were sprinkled, the spring rolls were fresh, filling and had a strong taste of ginger, which made them stand out from those I had tried at the Lotus Palace. Decent enough, and yet I felt they were a little dry. After our own recent, disastrous attempt to make a papaya salad (the result had been a foul smelling, bitter tasting experience) we decided to try that on offer here, and were once again impressed. The salad, goi du du, itself consists of papaya, carrots, daikon, red radish, onions, parsley, nuts and pork, with shrimps arranged around its periphery. It had a nice sweet and sour flavour to it with just a hint of the bitter papaya coming through after. Eager to know why our own culinary endevours had failed, we asked the waitress for advice. Fish oil, it seems, is the secret. Too much results in the awful taste we had created.

As the volume of customers now increased, the atmosphere became much more lively, the air busy with the sound of laughter and a stream of orders. Enjoying ourselves, and keen to sample more of the food, we opted for the rau muong xao toi, fried green kōshinsai with big slices of fried garlic and occasional pieces of red chill pepper. This proved to be my favourite dish of the evening, and as such I found myself wishing it had been a little larger. While I continued to indulge in the beer, my dining partner had a pot of pungent lotus tea and bought a copy of the owner’s, a Ms. Tran Thi Diep, cookbook Ethnic Diet Vietnam, priced at 1,400 yen. Apparently she had come to Japan (Okinawa in fact) as a boat-person in 1979, and after struggling for many years opened her first restaurant in Higashi-Nakano in 1987. The success of that establishment prompted her to open a second one in Nishi-Shinjuku and then a third in Kabukichō. The popularity of her cooking convinced her to share her knowledge, resulting in the cookbook. With luck, we’ll never need to endure a bad papaya

salad again!

Tiring of beer, I switched to whisky. Two large glasses full of Chivas Regal, on the rocks. This was followed by a final dish, the kaisen okoge, consisting of red, orange and green peppers mixed with baby corn, pork and squid in a moist soy based sauce, topped with coriander, into which two large clumps of crispy rice, literally like rice-crispies, were broken and mixed. Initially rather uninspiring, after ten minutes or so the flavours soaked in and the “rice-crispies” softened. The result was very pleasing, and yet perhaps a little too oily. Certainly worth trying though. The meal concluded with Vietnamese style coffee, filtered through a metal filter above a glass containing condensed milk. Strong, sickly sweet, it served to combat the whisky.

In all, a pleasant meal, good service and, once the place fills up, an enjoyable atmosphere. Portions are fair, but not big enough to my mind. Prices are reasonable, although more expensive than those at the Lotus Palace, with the meal coming to 6,000 yen per person. On the whole the food is better than that served at Lotus Palace, but only just. As long as you avoid a table by the constantly rattling windows, an enjoyable experience awaits. I will certainly be visiting the Nishi-Shinjuku Huong Viet shortly, and will report my findings here.

Tel: 03-5155-4721

Web: http://www.huongviet-k.jp/

Lotus Palace, Akasaka ロータスパレス、赤坂

If, like me, there are times when you long for bolder, spicier tastes than those found in Japanese cuisine, then Akasaka’s Lotus Palace, a Vietnamese restaurant a stone’s throw from the Metro station exit, is likely to please. I can’t claim to be well versed in the ways of Vietnam’s cuisine, but as this restaurant had been introduced to my dining partner by a gentleman of Vietnamese descent I expected to be pleased with the evening’s meal.

The Lotus Palace, of which there are two, the other being located in Ikebukuro, is a small establishment on Akasaka Dōri recognized by its glass façade behind which hang slatted wooden blinds that allow only a slight glimpse of that which awaits the expectant diner. The interior is attractive, blacks and reds, less than a dozen small tables, with faux black leather benches, a bar on the right before the kitchen with high bar stalls, and to the rear of the room a smoking section screened off with bamboo lattices. Nicely lit, so as two create an intimate atmosphere, the place is comfortable enough, although the tables for two are a little on the small side and as such you would be best advised not to order too many dishes all at once, with the interior decoration far removed from the usual wooden simplicity of Japanese izakaya. My only real gripe, aside from the tables, was the dreadful Euro-trance piped into the dining area. Hardly conducive to a relaxing meal, it served only to bring about the usual tightening of the lungs and rapidly beating heart that any who misspent their youth in UK clubs during the 1990s will be all too familiar with…

A tall, slim waitress clad in a tight-fitting traditional Vietnamese dress, slit high up the thigh, threatened to distract me from the dining experience. She also brought the ample menu, complete with Vietnamese names for the dishes and photos to guide the uninitiated, and took our drink orders. Surprised as I was to find Bass Pale Ale on the menu, I opted for a standard draught beer while noting the availability of Vietnamese liquor. The service throughout was polite, although somewhat too business like, as was that given by the master of the house, a portly Japanese fellow.

Our meal commenced with two nama harumaki (uncooked spring roll) bulging with bacon, juicy shrimps, potatoes, cucumber lettuce and noodles, eaten with ones fingers, dipping the roll into a spicy sauce. Delicious, filling, healthy. A fantastic salad of green papaya, sliced and boiled, mixed with peanuts, shrimps, pork and fried garlic followed. This was certainly a highlight of the meal. Wonderfully moist, the taste of the papaya was intriguing and the aroma strong. Encouraged we ordered the Banh Xeo, a 30cm diameter pancake stuffed with bean sprouts and mushrooms, which is the then sliced up, wrapped in lettuce leaves and dipped into another spicy sauce. In terms of size it was excellent value, and yet I found its taste rather oily. Furthermore it is extremely messy with the oil, juice from the filling, and dipping sauce running all over ones hands. By the time we had finished the thing a small pile of hand wipes gobbled up what little space was left on the table.

Ordering some of the “Vietnamese shōchū,” the bottle’s label declared it to be “Vietnamese vodka”, I marveled at its strength, nutty flavour (Almond I believe) and the volume of gaijin entering the restaurant. Being Akasaka, and close to the station, I ought not to have been surprised. Still, it is rare, at least in my experience, to dine in a restaurant in which gaijin outnumber Japanese and other Asians. Around this point in the evening the trance music ceased, to be replaced by something else. What I cannot remember. It was certainly quieter at any rate. Next came the Bo Xien, skewers of succulent beef sprinkled with spring onion and nuts. These were dipped into a sweet and sour sauce. Overall an excellent dish, the taste highly reminiscent of spare ribs. Still impressed, we then ordered deep fried crab, a nice pile of small karaage like morsels, the crabmeat soft, the taste one of oil and spices. Recommended!  By this point, I really felt unable

to eat another bite, but wanting to try some soup we had the Fuō, a large bowl of steaming broth in which chicken, Fuō noodles and spring onion jostled for attention. Content, pleased with quality of the meal, and not a little drunk, I decided to round off the evening with a whisky. One of largest I have ever had. Truly excellent value!

An interesting, delicious, meal at a reasonable price can easily be had at Lotus Palace. Dance music aside, the surrounding are pleasant and the service business like. The menu offers a good selection of varied dishes that certainly require further study. Worth a visit? Certainly.

Tel: 03-5114-0747