Jin Kichi

Perched at the top of Hampstead High Street, Jin Kichi’s constant flow of well-heeled customers certainly aren’t attracted by the decor. The furnishings are basic blond wood, tables are closely packed & service is a little haphazard, slowing down when busy. Yet the food keeps the crowds coming. Yakitori (skewers with anything from chicken & spring onion to quails’ eggs) are meticulously marinated & turned on a grill in the centre of the ground-floor dining room. Elsewhere are plump pork gyoza with a tangy dipping sauce, generous pieces of salty-sweet salmon teriyaki, & super-fresh fish incorporated into sushi rolls, sashimi & nigiri. Individual dishes may not seem expensive, but the bill does mount up.