Japanese

I wasn’t planning on eating out in January. I know, I know, bear with me. I’m not really one of those types. I mean, I don’t do full on detox or ‘Dryanuary’ or anything. But after a very indulgent Christmas December I definitely needed to take it easy for a few weeks. I assumed that meant not eating out for a while. …

I love Japanese food. We’re lucky to have great places like Yuzu and Umezushi in Manchester but until recently there was nowhere to go for ramen. Well, good, authentic ramen anyway. Sure there are a few restaurants with a token ramen dish on their random menus, it’s been the ‘in’ thing for a few years now. But we were definitely …

The first few times I visited Aberdeen I mainly ate meat, cheese and burgers (usually because beer was involved). Last time I wanted something a little more cultural. I found it by way of Yatai. An informal but authentic Japanese Izakaya style restaurant/bar. The equivalent of our gastropubs. Owner and Executive head chef John Jones isn’t Japanese but has dedicated …

You know you’re spoilt for choice when it takes over two years to return to one of your favourite restaurants. Amazingly, after visiting Umezushi countless times during their first year, that’s how long it had been since my last trip. This despite recommending the place to countless people since. Not much has changed inside the tiny sushi bar under the railway arch on Mirabel Street. It’s …

Post-gig, late night eating at home generally consists of dodgy kebabs or overpriced Domino’s pizza. Not so in London where after the recent Arctic Monkeys gig at Finsbury Park I finally made it to Japanese ramen bar ‘Bone Daddies’, located just a short walk from Chinatown in Soho. Bone Daddies – run by Ross Shonhan who was previously head chef at Nobu …

As an adventurous eater and somebody obsessed with trying new things I’m probably not the intended target of Wagamama’s latest campaign. The ‘Way of Wagamama’ is designed to encourage people to try something new and a bit different rather than ordering the same dishes all the time. Still, when I was invited to a special press event hosted by Channel …

I love Japanese food and I love wine – particularly Italian – so what could be better than an Italian Wine Tasting night at one of my favourite Japanese restaurants? Not much I thought so despite feeling a tad delicate after the Arepa supper club the previous night I decided to go along to Umezushi and check it out. The event …

Despite an issue with the service on my last visit (which was later resolved) I consider Yuzu one of my favourite restaurants in Manchester and recommend it to anybody who will listen. I’ve been meaning to return for ages and was shocked when I realised it had been over a year. During that time I’ve eaten in a lot of Japanese …

I’ve returned to Umezushi a few times since my first visit back in March, each occasion was enjoyable but I chose not to write them up since the food was very similar. I couldn’t resist writing about my latest visit last Wednesday though. It was a typically cold and miserable Manchester evening as we rushed the short distance from Victoria …

Though I hate to admit it and genuinely try not to be, if I’m being honest I have to accept that deep down I’m a bit of a food snob. Especially when it comes to restaurants, chains in particular. I’ve been put off by previous bad experiences but mainly I just find them so bland and soulless. There are a …

After a long day at the brilliant (but sadly lacking in the food department) PortAventura theme park we ventured into Salou hoping to find somewhere decent to eat. Parking opposite ‘The Black Bull’ and having to avoid being sold a dodgy watch or flashing plastic toy as we walked down the road I wasn’t optimistic. It felt like Blackpool or …

I’ve never been particularly fond of chain restaurants but there are a couple I’ll tolerate if there’s nothing better available. Until recently it was a short list: basically just Nandos & occasionally Wagamama! It’s a long time since I’ve eaten at Yo! Sushi as I wasn’t impressed with the quality previously but after visiting last month when I kind of …

After being so disappointed by Sapporo Teppanyaki last month I wasn’t sure what to expect from ‘Teppanyaki’ in Manchester. On the plus side it’s an independent restaurant run by a Japanese family, but then again so is Samsi and it doesn’t seem to have done much good there. It’s location on the edge of Manchester’s chinatown is another positive. As was arriving …

I’d been looking forward to visiting The Farmers Arms in Bolton for weeks since hearing it was to be reopened by chef Jon Jones, a MasterChef The Professionals quarter finalist who’s worked in some of my favourite Manchester restaurants. Unfortunately due to some unforeseen circumstances that wasn’t to be. So I reached for my very long wish list and picked somewhere else instead, continuing my tour of …

I’m not going to lie, i’m really not a fan of chains like Yo! Sushi. But when I heard of their new invention which combines two of my favourite things in the world – sushi & burgers – I just had to try it. I headed for the Yo! Sushi inside Selfridges at The Trafford Centre. The Yo! Burgers are …