Mar 2015: now I have had the pleasure of trying the desserts: (the small Zen cakes were reassuring soft with a nice rise to suggest they are freshly baked and including sultanas to add an intriguing element to an already pleasant cake), the sesame pudding was delightfully smooth, melt-in-your mouth goodness and the raspberry-topped tofu cheesecake is dangerously delicious such that I'm sure I could eat 3 or 4 slices if I didn't have a conscience!)
P.S. The seaweed and kimchi was a bit too sharp in flavour for my liking but worth a try if you are ordinarily a fan of kimchi (which I am not anyway)
Jan 2015 review (4/5): Simple yet beautifully executed, Itadaki Zen is a vegan Japanese nest of a restaurant within walking distance of King's Cross station. It gives birth to the concept that vegan and gluten-free food can still be crafted exquisitely with differences in texture, colour and taste. Testament to how authentically Japanese Itadaki Zen is, the staff are so Japanese that they can barely communicate in English and the menu has a few grammatical errors as if it has been translated roughly into English from the words of a Japanese chef. Yet everything from the choice of words on the menu and intricate recipes to the simple uniform of the staff and humble decor of the restaurant gives an aura of sincerity and a personal touch.
The menu consists of well designed combinations of dinner sets that mostly consist of various small portions of food that complement each other well. I had the Chapche set which included a dish of fried noodles made of sweet potato starch cooked with vegetables, Kikurage and Shitake mushrooms alongside 3 vegan tofu sushi rolls, 2 fried spring rolls and miso soup. A classic tell-tale sign of good vegetarian food is when a meat-eater such as myself can simply forget that meat even exists let alone that the food currently on the table does not contain any meat or by-product of meat. Such was the flavour, appeal and ingenuity of the food that I genuinely did not have cause to give any thought for it's lacking in meat. The fact that the food was healthier-than-average was just an added bonus. The variety of non-alcoholic beverages is just right; a satisfying range of soft drinks as well as delightful options for tea including the Siawase tea (containing Jujube and goji berries), which although at £3 costs more than the other drinks does genuinely feel refreshing and favourable to digestion.
Having said all the above, Itadaki Zen is still a little rough around the edges in that it could do with some refining of it's interior and I found the tofu sushi rolls to be a little lacking in flavour e.g. they could have done with a little pickle, wasabi or other fragrance or spice. What I mean by interior is that whilst the cracked walls, the hanging charms and overall atmosphere of the restaurant is indeed pleasant, the front needs a little work. It appears as though initially there could have been a waiting area by the front door but since the restaurant is so small they've squeezed another table that protrudes to just by the door such that the arrangement looks odd and we (who happened to be sitting at this table) were greeted by a gust of wind each time new customers came or old customers left. Frankly, I think if they changed the style of seating to sitting on the floor true to Japanese tradition, the restaurant would be even more extraordinary and be able to fit more people.
To conclude, Itadaki Zen is a quaint, authentic gem of a Japanese haunt; understated and easy-to-stomach. A word of warning however for people with a big appetite for meat and a filling meal, this may not be your cup of tea so don't kid yourself otherwise ;) read more