Ichi Zen
54 Goodge Street London W1 Tel: 020 7637 0657
Cost – about £20 per person
What can you call minimalism when it has a bit more pizzazz? Maximalism? Whatever you call it, Ichi Zen has it. The handling of space at this relatively small and very moderately priced noodle bar is clever and visually exciting. On the ground level, with a long bar and a few tables, soffits with pink neon run around the large projecting rectangles that make up the walls, casting a soft but vibrant glow. The walls are further detailed with inset, backlit boxes containing square glass-box bonsai arrangements. Well-crafted wooden tables are inset with buff-coloured limestone. Downstairs, cleverly cut-out paper makes interesting diffusers for wall lighting, with more of the same tables and an open kitchen at the back.
The menu is short but versatile, cooking is light, flavourful and virtuously healthy without being cranky. Starters are a round up of Japanese favourites: gyoza (dumplings) stuffed with either chicken or veg, are steamed then dry-fried and turn out moist but crisp on the outside; fish cakes are unctuous and juicy enough to send delectable dribbles down the chin; chicken kara-age are fried ultra-crisp and greaseless in seasoned flour; tempura vegetables do that wonderful crunch thing; and the slight sweetness/stickiness of chicken yakitori complements the smokiness from chargrilling. For the indecisive, the veg and non-veg selections are well worth trying.
There is ramen soup with a choice of chargrilled chicken breast, tofu tempura, roast pork loin, steak or tiger prawns and salmon with seaweed. Ramen noodle stir frys use the same protein choices, with the option of switching to udon, soba or rice noodles or steamed sticky rice. The menu is rounded out with a few house specials. Chankanobe stew is a mix of chicken, pork, salmon and seasonal vegetables. There is a Japanese/Thai fusion curry rice with katsu (breadcrumbed and fried) chicken, pork or tiger prawns and fish gujons. Duck rhosu is chargrilled breast (a bit under-seasoned and under-spiced) with Oriental mushrooms and ramen. Seared tuna with soba noodles and ribboned veg could also have used a bit more umph and the accompanying tomato sauce was moving rather too much towards the Mediterranean. In retrospect, I wish I had tried the tiger prawn, monkfish and salmon yakitori with sweet chilli rice and pickles. Standards are about to be bumped up with the recent arrival of an ex-sous chef from Nobu, who may bring some of the famed house specialities with him.
Service standards, however, are already there. As are the house cocktails with the likes of a Tokyo mojito and the Vintage (a take on an Old-Fashioned). At just £5 per, the bar is worth a visit on its own. And don’t worry if your vision starts going pink, it’s the lighting, not the drink.
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