From the plastic sushi in the window to the saké-lined bar, Aki feels like a little slice of Japan. For an added touch of authenticity, the walls are lined with slips of paper covered in handwritten Japanese script, containing details of the menu. Staff chat happily to each other while tending to customers in an unhurried yet efficient way.
On the menu there are izakaya classics such as chazuke (rice and green tea soup) as well as sushi and noodle dishes. A dish of tempura, although a little greasy, had batter thin enough for the juicy prawn and tender vegetables to show through – as they should. The sweet soy-based sauce in a portion of ginger pork had plenty of zing and came with accurately cooked rice.
The prices here are also very reasonable; a filling four-course lunch special comes to less than £20. The food is far from refined, but it’s simple, enjoyable and well priced. In fact, this is just the place for a lively after-work meal, a quick lunch or some saké and shochu tasting.