Ikeda

Japanese, Sushi·
££££
·
Bronze Award
·

SquareMeal Review of Ikeda

Bronze Award

Those seeking a side order of designer decor and celeb spotting à la Nobu will find little satisfaction at long-serving, family-run Ikeda, where ultra-traditional service and thoughtfully rendered food are the stars of the show. Revered dishes include flame-seared o-toro (tuna) steak gleaming with warm fat, grilled squid ‘legs’ with ginger, silky chawan mushi custard spiked with citrus, barbecued eel on rice with teriyaki sauce, and belly pork with garlic and miso. There’s also a top-drawer selection of sushi and sashimi loaded with spanking-fresh turbot, mackerel, shrimps, scallops and the like to go with Ikeda’s fascinating list of premium sakés and umeshu (plum wines). Mrs Ikeda and her smiling brigade of “delicate” waitresses in black kimonos run front of house, while busy action in the open kitchen adds some theatre to the discreet, understated room.

Good to know

Average Price
££££ - £30 - £49
Cuisines
Japanese, Sushi
Ambience
Quiet conversation, Traditional
Food Hygiene Rating

Ikeda is featured in

Location

30 Brook Street, Mayfair, London, W1K 5DJ

020 7629 2730 020 7629 2730

Website

Opening Times

Mon-Fri 12.30-3.30pm Mon-Sat 6.30-10.30pm

Reviews

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1 Review 
Food/Drink
Service
Atmosphere
Value

Alex G

23 October 2013  
Food & Drink 4
Service 4
Atmosphere 3
Value 2.5
Good food, but not cheap
Diners in London in search of authentic Japanese food and service have it good in Mayfair. Ikeda can comfortably hold its own against the likes of Sakana-Tei (Maddox Street) or Kiku (Half Moon Street) among others. If there is a common factor across these restaurants, it is that they – like much of Japanese culture – are discreet and under-stated. The emphasis at Ikeda is very much on food; the location (and, by consequence, the atmosphere to an extent) is undoubtedly secondary. In terms of décor, think plain white walls and functional wooden furniture. At least my view was ameliorated by the open kitchen, where it is always a pleasure to watch the dedication and attention to detail with which Japanese chefs prepare their food. Both my dining comrade and I went for the set lunch menu, which comprised a seaweed appetiser, miso soup, sashimi on a bed of rice and then fruit. All was first-class, but the unsurprising stand-out from these items was the sashimi, lusciously fresh and varied. At £37 a head, however, the set lunch doesn’t come cheap. Better value does exist on the menu with teriyaki dishes from £18, but certainly if one were picking and choosing sushi and sashimi, it would be easy to imagine the bill quickly racking up. Conclusion: if you like Japanese food, then do go, but ideally get someone else to pay….
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