Bonsai

This review appears in the The List's Eating & Drinking Guide 2008 – in the shops now or buy online.

With the convivial hubbub of the closely packed tables, the sizzling steam and enticing aromas emerging from the kitchen, and the bold white, crimson and black décor, at Bonsai it's easy to imagine yourself in an izakaya in downtown Tokyo. And indeed it is that cheerful, unpretentious pub-style Japanese eatery that Bonsai recreates so successfully. No aloof elegance or mannered formality here; simply choose, tapas-style, from a wonderfully diverse array of small dishes and snacks until you're stuffed. Yes, there are artful pearl slivers of scallop sashimi, or gleaming slices of fish atop sticky bundles of sushi rice. But there's also okonomiyaki, a hearty traditional pancake, or fried takoyaki octopus balls with a barbecue-style sauce. Juicy gyoza pork dumplings glisten with soya and chilli oil, while tiny flakes of sea salt cluster on the jade plumpness of edamame beans, popping perkily from their pods. With quintessentially Japanese salads, soups and pickles, plus everything from sake to green tea and the likes of a meltingly sweet banana and fudge tempura for dessert, Bonsai suddenly makes the Far East seem very close indeed.

• High point: Warm, bustling and lively…
• Low point: …or just hot, hurried and loud?