ikeda

 

cha soba is yummy, tempura ebi is prawns bathed in carbs then deep-fried and by definition, yummy, so combining the two, you must get double yummy. but the synnergistic effect coupled with the surprise element made this little baby out-of-this-world yummy. short of describing it as life-changing, which it truly was, words fail me :) 

also, hands down the best ever cha soba, udon, somen and tonkatsu outside tokyo. before i tried theirs, i used to wonder "ok, it's just noodles, how good can it be?" and then i took my first bite and fell hook, line and sinker for ikeda. still feel the tempura at tenshin in singers is better but hey, when starved for authentic japanese food, thankfully one need not look too far in london. ikeda is a sweet little restaurant tucked away in mayfair. you're paying mayfair prices but it's third generation and family run. the boss lady is the epitome of elegance and why japanese ladies age so well is beyond me. in fact, it makes me downright envious and i hope to similarly preserve my youth by association.