The Crane & Tortoise

A spin-off from Soho Japan on Wells Street, this self-appointed Japanese ‘pub & restaurant’ keeps its simple with clean lines, polished wood tables, stools & some exotic greenery dotted around. The full menu grazes through sushi, sashimi, salads & curries with back-up from a clutch of tapas-style dishes – oshitashi, deep-fried chicken wings, takoyaki (octopus dumplings) & salmon teriyaki, as well as bite-sized burgers, crispy potato wedges & even cheese with crackers. One-plate lunch specials promise rice bowls, sea bass with green salad on plum paste, pork dumplings & cabbage in soup & suchlike for around £5 a go, with set menus weighing in well below a tenner. Asahi beer, shochu cocktails, shots of Japanese whiskey & bottles of saké take care of business on the booze front – otherwise keep a clear head with green tea or Calpico (a yoghurt drink with soda).