Japanese joint Wazen opened this week. As always, we were first in to road test it. Here are our innermost thoughts…
When it opened in late 2014, the place was known as Den Udon (a classy noodle joint), but half a year later it closed and has reopened as Wazen – from the same owners, yet now with a whole new team and menu. As before, the interior is a calm space with muted grey walls and minimalist decor, though the replacement of communal bench seating with individual oak tables and seats indicates Wazen’s more formal intentions.
The head chef is Gifu-born Toshimasa Tanahashi, whose experience at Matsuri and Kouzu makes him well-versed in high-end Japanese cuisine. Here, that background is evident in his delicate, delicious starters including salmon zuke (cubes of salmon lifted by tangy blobs of yuzu) and fried chicken kaki no tane: lean chunks of chicken smothered in crackling soy-flavoured rice crisps.
The sashimi we tried was exemplary – artistically cut and arranged with flowers and twigs – but the sushi wasn’t of a quality to justify its West End price tag. Crisp chicken nanban suggested that frying is the kitchen’s forte, while a green tea-flavoured tiramisu with ice cream made a brilliantly creamy yet light finish. Drinks are well-covered too, with a long saké list and a pretty Japanese tea service.
Wazen is certainly an asset to its neighbourhood, but a tame atmosphere and high prices won’t tempt many away from more central alternatives.
This article was published 16 October 2015