Paul Anders (9 September 2003)

Jin Kichi is one of those places that you can walk past for years and years and never really notice it exists – as I have done for a few years now. I finally went a few weeks ago, and I don’t think I’ve ever left a restaurant feeling quite so satisfied.

We had to wait for a table in a pub over the road, which would normally not be the best way to start a meal, but the friendliness of the staff quickly removed all trace of annoyance. The restaurant is tiny, on two floors, and extremely busy. Despite being busy, the tables are well spaced out, and the overall feeling is intimate rather than crowded. The number of Japanese people present who all appeared to be thoroughly enjoying their meals was also encouraging.

Once seated and with the menu, we were impressed by the service right from the start. It was incredibly attentive but never oppressive or intrusive. The menu was a good length, had a variety of types of food, was clearly written and was reasonably priced.

We ate a number of small dishes from the menu, ranging from yakitori to sushi and sashimi, all of which were truly excellent and were delivered at just the right time and with some charm. We were left to enjoy our drinks after we had eaten, and never once felt rushed to leave, despite the fact that the staff could easily have used our table (a table for four, despite there only being two of us) for a fresh set of customers.

In summary, a fantastic restaurant that is really good value for money and to my mind compares favourably with any restaurant in London. Excellent service, excellent food, affordable and enjoyable. Probably best to book a table though, unless you don’t mind having a pint in the Coach and Horses whilst you wait.