Koya Bar

Late evening fix Japanese style

Koya bar, the sister joint of the neighbouring infamous Koya restaurant, serves udon in a bar, which has been one of the stable settings in the Japanese culture. The "trick" I learnt from eating in Koya or Koya Bar during my previous visits, is that it is all about ordering from the daily special menu board, as it offers some of the most exciting Japanese foods in London. 

mackerel sashimi

beetroot, carrot, blood orange in sesame

We began with some cured mackerel sashimi, it had a lovely rich and sweet flavour but yet very refreshing at the same time. The beetroot and carrot salad was the surprise of the evening, all the fruity and earthy flavours blended together perfectly with the sesame dressing. The crispy dry blood orange on top was a pure joy and what a brilliant concept that was.

Agedashi tofu

duck rice

The house special braised pork belly with cider was as good as I remembered it to be, the sweet and fruity tender pork belly with a dash of mustard was just so comforting. Bread beef onglet and cabbage was a fun and exciting dish, accompanied with the miso sauces offering the salty and mild spicy tastes to the crispy beef onglet.

pork belly with cider

breaded beef onglet and cabbage

I wished Koya bar was nearer to where I live, as I am such a fan of the laid back and simple approach to Japanese cooking. In terms of value for money in Japanese dining, I personally would think Koya is hard to beat. We actually popped in after a long journey from Brighton for a quick late evening fix and that is exactly what these types of noodle bars are known for in Japan, which overall added a very authentic feel to the eating experience.

Food 6
Service 5
Ambience 6
Value 7

£24 per head

50 Frith Street London W1D 4SQ

http://www.koyabar.co.uk/