As evidenced by my gastronomic tours of Europe and USA, I'm prepared to travel for good food…read more However, sometimes, it's also nice to have some favourite local places tucked up your sleeve My sister took me to Hashi for sushi. She had gone there with a friend and enjoyed it Parking in this area of Raynes Park can be tight but you can find something in the local residential streets. There is a funky delivery van outside the restaurant, which helps one to find it There's a bit of fun at the start of the meal when water is poured onto 2 small tablets, which grow into warm hand towels. Nice The food was all nice and I appreciated the variety in the menu. We had lotus root chips, deep fried oysters, miso black cod, otoro sashimi, Hashi special roll and miso soup. We finished the meal with red bean mochi and we received some complementary orange to end A nice neighbourhood Japanese restaurant but only 4 stars due to the price

One of the best Japanese restaurants I've been to. Lovely sweet lemon and honey tea to start -…read moreperfect for my sore throat. We each chose the bento box option as it seemed the best value. Flavoursome miso soup, and the contents of the bento itself was well seasoned and beautifully presented. We also shared some exquisite tuna avocado sushi. Staff were patient and courteous (we took a while deciding what to order). It's not the cheapest sushi, but it's very popular with the locals, and with such delicious flavours served in a relaxed setting, I can see why. I can't wait to return and try a wider selection!

London's Best Cookery Schools Hashi Cooking…read more Hashi Cooking - Pictures @ The London Foodie (http://www.thelondonfoodie.co.uk ) I first met Reiko Hashimoto for her Sushi & Sashimi Class in May 07. Since that first fateful encounter, I have attended most of Reiko's classes, met the most delightful people and learnt a great deal about Japanese cuisine and culture. All classes are held at Reiko's beautiful home in Wimbledon Park for a small number of people. Sitting by her spacious kitchen island with other Japanese food aficionados, Reiko demonstrates in great detail all dishes to be cooked on the day. The informal and friendly setting, coupled with Reiko's contagious enthusiasm, gets everyone talking and asking questions, more like a cooking party at a friend's house. Ingredients are already prepared, and no time is taken washing or chopping them. Involvement is highly encouraged, but attention is focussed mostly on learning the various techniques, like the different ways of rolling sushi, preparing Japanese omelette (tamago), or assembling and frying tempura. In addition to the Sushi & Sashimi Class on Saturdays, Reiko also runs 4-session evening courses. These are designed for students who would like to learn about Japanese food in greater depth and are held at all levels from Beginners, Home Cooking and Gourmet, to Master Chef. Classes are not necessarily taken in this order starting at the Gourmet level, I then took the Home Cooking and Master Chef courses - all very different in nature but equally enjoyable. At the end of the four courses, participants will have learnt how to prepare more than 60 delicious Japanese dishes which can easily be recreated in their own kitchen. All classes' menus can be found at Hashi Cooking's website. I recently returned to Hashi Cooking and was lucky enough to take part in the last session of this season's Gourmet Course. As usual I was welcomed by an eclectic group of students the gorgeous Bann (a dentist of Iraqi descent), Amy (a charming Malaysian architect), Alex (the Law student), who at 21, was given Reiko's course as a gift and was thoroughly enjoying himself, and Arly, a Norwegian fellow who lived in Japan for years and can speak fluent Japanese. We started the evening with a demonstration of one of my favourite dishes Cha Soba Green Tea Flavoured Noodles with Squid and Spicy Yakumi Sauce. The Yakumi Sauce had just right amount of spiciness and the combination of squid, coriander and the green tea noodles was delicious. The Tofu Steak with Japanese Mushrooms in Soy Butter Sauce is, in my opinion, an excellent introduction to Tofu: a wonderful Japanese ingredient, sadly unloved by the Western palate. Reiko's recipe uses buttered Japanese mushrooms, like enoki, shimeji and shiitake, and crisply fried tofu steaks to convert even the most sceptical of foodies. An interesting addition to this season's menu was Roasted Butterflied Chicken Marinated with White Miso & Ginger Paste the meat soaked up the sweet white miso and ginger paste beautifully as it roasted, also helping to keep the meat moist and tender. The star of the evening however was Reiko's signature dish Grilled Scallops on Sushi Rice with Creamy Spicy Sauce. I have made this dish many times at home whenever I am cooking Japanese food for friends - it is one of the best dishes of all her courses. The flying fish roe, seaweed, scallops in sushi rice topped with the creamy, spicy sauce combine very well together. A real winner. As a half-Japanese, I always felt I knew the food of my ancestors Reiko made me re-consider this while helping me to replicate some of the flavours of my childhood I had long lost. I have great respect for what Reiko has achieved over the years, which is to de-mystify what to so many people wrongly seems an overly sophisticated and expensive cuisine based solely on raw fish, while making real Japanese cuisine available to thousands of people in the UK. I would highly recommend Hashi Cooking to anyone wanting to learn more about Japanese food and culture, meet some fascinating people on the way and eat the most scrumptious food!

A really great way to learn about Japanese cooking, great for those of us who love cooking but are…read morenervous about this cuisine. Reiko is a very warm and welcoming host and also has a great teaching style - meticilous and thorough but also ensuring that each student gets practical hands-on experience with tricky techniques and has opportunities to ask lots of questions. Would highly recommend it.

There used to be a Michelin recommended yakitori (Japanese skewers) restaurant on this site but…read morethat sadly closed quite a few years ago when I moved into the Wimbledon area and I never got a chance to try it It was then owned by the owners of Confucius restaurant across the road but the site was again never developed into a restaurant Kibou has now opened and it shows how busy I've been in the last few months that I was told that they've been opened for 3 months and I had only noticed it in the last fortnight. A new restaurant opening in my hood and me not noticing - tsk! Anyway, I arranged to rectify this deficit immediately and paid them a visit for lunch this Sunday I'm not sure if it's a nod to the heritage of this site but they do offers a variety of grilled skewers in addition to the usual Japanese fare of sushi, bento boxes, etc. I did time my visit well as they were runni9ng a 20% discount on grilled dishes like the skewers I plumped for the sashimi bento box which offered a variety of 3 fishes as well as vegetable and prawn tempura together with rice and Japanese pickles. A complementary miso soup arrived as well. I also took advantage of the discount offer by ordering 3 skewers - beef, pork belly and chicken with spring onion I did enjoy the sushi, which was fresh though the salmon was perhaps not quite as sweet as at Noodle Foodle just down the road. I was also missing some gari (pickled ginger) in the box. The tempura was crispy and the batter was nicely seasoned. The miso soup has some nice cubes of tofu swimming prettily. The skewers were a little disappointing in that they tasted very similar and were crying out for some sauce to bring out the flavours of the meat Overall, a nice addition to the area and the skewers are something which isn't currently available at any of the local restaurants. However, if I had to choose, I'd probably pop to Noodle Foodle for my fix of sushi and tempura

Absolutely perfect. Good price for excellent fresh and yummy food. Been here a few times now and…read morepleasantly surprised every time.

You know the food is good when you start to get a little emotional…read more I really wish the owners had spent a little more time with the marketing of this place - and if I had any clue about that stuff, I'd want to help them out! This used to be a breakfast/deli like place and they've kept the original awning and added some red lanterns outside. When I first saw this place open up, I raised my snotty little Asian nose and thought I was too good for it. Glad I was wrong! After reading Maja's review, I had to try it. What's even better is that they deliver for free for orders £15 and over (plus I was really lazy to cook or pick up anything) and they take card payments over the phone if you're low on cash. They said 30 minutes but the delivery guy rocked up in 15! The Volcano roll was really good! Interesting to have cabbage as the roll base but something new. I ordered the Ohayo set C and I'm telling you, each and every piece was so fresh and really just melted in my mouth. When it comes down to Nigiri or Maki, the magic is really in the rice (of course after the fish). The rice is perfectly seasoned and sticky (like it should be!). Looks like they have some good lunch specials so will have to try out other things on their menu. This is the start of a beautiful, and hopefully long term, relationship. Please support them! It'll break my heart if they leave me.

This is a totally surprising standout amongst the fish and chip shops and typical food of the area…read more Sushi was fresh and as good as I've had in most very high end places. They were well filled up by 8pm so book ahead.

This place was a wonderful mix of Japanese and Scandinavian experience. The interior is definitely…read morefeeling Scandy in design and of course all the food selections are Japan inspired. The menu is a work of art in itself. It reminded me of the gorgeous marketing materials Saab used to send out. Very traditional start with miso soup served without spoons meant to be sipped directly from the tiny covered bowls. I'd highly recommend the appropriately named Osaka Chaos, if you like chirashi. A delightful mix of raw tuna, salmon, cooked shrimp, tamago and a lot of roe over sushi rice. Everything was very fresh, with bright flavors and some unusually shaped crackers provided a contrasting crunch. Can't wait to go back with more people and try their Four Meal Drive platter.

The whole family loved it, decor, ambience and mostly the food. Sushi and appetizers were…read moresurprisingly authentic. The kids meal was a lovely surprise for the 10 yr old - he loved all the different bento boxes.

I think the best description of this place would be a Japanese takeaway cum diner. It's located on…read morethe upper level of Centre Court Shopping Centre with another branch inside Wimbledon station Their main business if takeaway, either from the refrigerated section or from the counter for their hot food. There are also 4 stools to sit on if you want to eat in. They offer pre-packed sushi and sashimi in the cold section. At £8, the tuna and salmon sashimi isn't cheap but good for pre-packed. I've been offered free samples of their curries from the hot section but haven't had any yet - I just find Japanese curry inferior to the south east Asian ones I'm used to Good for a snack

I love love love love Ta-Maki sushi. Did I mention I love it? Without doubt the best sushi I have…read morefound in London. I agree with other reviews - it's a bit more expensive than other places but it's so worth it. It's about £1 cheaper to take away than 'eat in' so I usual eat it at home or in the park! They do really good curry and rice which is a much cheaper meal - about £4.

Soon after I started working at an office located in Wimbledon, I've discovered quite a few…read moreJapanese places within walking distance of my new office. I am now going regularly to three different places, and Kokoro right at Wimbledon station is one of them. The little shop has proven to be quite popular among local workers and pupils, as it can get incredibly busy at times. But usually, the friendly and efficient team copes surprisingly well with the qeueue of people, and most of the time, you won't have to wait too long. I really like Kokoro, I think their Chicken Katsu Curry is good value for money. The curry sauce has the right thickness, the sticky rice is cooked well and they are generous with the crispy chicken. Only once I was was not entirely happy with the chicken pieces, because some small bits were a bit tough. It still makes me smile when I see them cutting the chicken strips with scissors - I would never have thought of that, but it is an efficient and fast way to cut fried chicken in a small and busy kitchen. While it is primarily a takeaway, they also have a few tables and I have spent many lunch breaks there. So far, I always found a place to sit, even when there was a long queue. Overall, I am very satisfied with the food and the service at Kokoro. They offer quick and consistently tasty food. The staff - mostly Japanese, I guess - are very nice and always have a smile on their face. If you are looking for something delicious and filling, I can really recommend Kokoro just outside Wimbledon station in the Centre Court shopping complex.

Alot of people i work with rave about this place so i had to try it out. I got there about 12:15…read moreand there was a small line, by the time I went to walk out with my food the line was massive so just be ready for that. I had the catsu chicken curry and rice, i have also tried the chicken curry. They both tasted pretty plain to me, I asked for the hottest dish and could not taste a hint of spice. The dish comes with plain rice and meat and sauce, very basic. You do have the option of noodles. It is however really big portions, I had the small meal and struggled to finish it. So that was good but I think I have learnt my lesson and probably wont go back, it just lacked flavour for me.

I think this may the best name for a restaurant ever! Slurp - what an evocative word to get the…read moretaste buds going!! Slurp describes itself as a Chinese/Japanese restaurant and it's located at the end of Wimbledon Broadway. It does a broad range of oriental dishes - perhaps the best way to visualise the menu is to imagine Wagamama combined with Busaba Eathai with a few more Asian countries represented as well. I would say their emphasis would be on noodles with some bento boxes and rice dishes as well. I've tried their seafood ho fun (broad rice stick noodles) which was nice if a bit pricey at over £7. There was a nice selection of fresh juices. If you like the Wagamama or Busaba concept and atmosphere, you'll like Slurp. Sluuuuurp - sorry, the name just brings a smile to my face :-)

After a long time not going here we returned on the spur of the moment. Not coming here was not a…read moreconscious decision, just there was other fish to fry. So after a hard week [again] and a well deserved earlier finish returning to Slurp was supposed to be comforting. And it was, the same old service with a smile, not too busy early in the evening and a nice Slurp juice of various fruits obliterated to a more-ish liquid nature. But previously grubby benches and low light nature of the place had been replaced by a brighter, more IKEA in nature atmosphere; not so comforting. And although the Ebi Katsu (how could you do these wrong anyway?) was still there, the previously tasty and by no means healthy MSG riddled well spiced offerings had been replaced by a bland, water offerings (the House Special rice and Prawn Black bean equally disappointed). Such a shame, and my regularly burnt tongue that I still got from the pipping hot food was no longer offset by the naughty but nice food. Yup - Slurp Juice, Green Tea, Ebi Katsu Nah - House Special rice, Prawn Black Bean