Saturday 25 July 2009

Delicatessen Yoshino

Dear fellow Food Bloggers,

I apologise wholeheartedly if I fail to read your postings with enough conviction and frequency or at least take the trouble to rouse a few comments. I’ve decided to refrain from reading further recipes posted by great sites like The Blonde Shrink, The Doc, The First Couple of Cooking, etc. It’s not that I find postings of recipes boring but rather that it pains me to read them; I live alone and I’ve elected not to engage in any cooking activities (pot and instant noodles don’t count). Subjective it maybe, methinks cooking for one sucks.

As for the reviews of restaurants, unfortunately my attitude towards them is nearly that of an ignoramus. Truth of the matter is by reading the reviews of restaurants that I’ve yet to visit will no doubt influence the outcome of my own critique for the wrong reasons. However if I do eventually get round to reading your reviews of the places I’ve set foot upon, I then find correlating reviews fascinating.

More importantly I would like to thank you all for the following-
Taking the trouble to read my blog, hopefully regardless of its lack of dynamism and prose.
To be included in your blogroll despite my invisible one
(and certainly no thanks to being de-listed) .
Making the odd comment or two.

FBs, happy eating and cheers.

Regards,

Fatty Tuna Les.

A bit of waffle is important to maintain a level of eccentricity that’s sometimes associated with this blog. I suppose that the other reason is simply down to I can only write so much about a certain joint; anymore words than necessary would cause the review to be drummed up and over the top. Yoshino is one such place. Ever since Yoshino decamped or got shoved from the Japan Centre in Piccadilly to Soho, I’ve always had a sneaky impression that they’ve lost the plot and resorted to selling faux sushi to tourists and the uninitiateds. I was indeed wong (and still am by all accounts), this 'takeaway only' shop sells decent sushi at incredibly silly prices.

Organic Salmon and Avocado

£1.70 for four

Japanese Scallop

£1.50 for four

Eel and Cucumber

£1.50 for four

Chicken Karaage

£1.10 for four

If some of you constantly treat yourself to a sushi lunch from either Pret, Marks, Wasabi (travesty), etc; do take the trouble and come here instead; the food here is superior and wallet friendly. Relish and enjoy.


59 Shaftesbury Avenue
London W1D 6LF

www.yoshino.net

14 comments:

Bronteblomhoj said...

Hello

Just wanted to say that I keep checking back on your blog - I may be addicted, your photos are utterly delicious. Not having too much time to sample all the lovely foodie places in London at the moment, reading your blog is a good "next best thing".

Thanks for keeping it up

Bronte

steve said...

i am going today purely because of your review.


steve a.k.a. f90x

Su-Lin said...

Awww, Les, there's no need to apologise! I totally understand how it is cooking for one...it can be quite a pain. :( But then, I'd eat out like you! :)

thora said...

Nevermind your "lack of dynamism and prose" - I like your blog a lot just because of its writing. If I were single and could afford to eat out as much as you do (and look at all the possibilities you have in London!!!) I'd probably do the same.

bellaphon said...

Bronte- How sweet, thank you.

Steve- Hi-Fi and Food, dodgy combo!
Thanks for stopping ;)

S-L and Thora- Where would we be without virtual pals? Thanks, ladies.

steve said...

it was lovely, what a nice find. i had the smoked salmon, the crabstick calfornian and the chicken karaage. it was all great and i ate it just round the corner al fresco in soho square with the local alcoholics for company.

Helen said...

Hi Les, I understand you are not reading the recipe posts because you don't cook - fair enough - and you are also not reading the restaurant reviews of places you haven't been because it might influence your own review. So you are only reading if I post a review of a place you have already been? So why did you decide to get this 'out in the open'? I'm just curious. It seems a bit offensive to say publicly that you're not interested in reading someone's blog. I'm not trying to be antagonistic, just curious about your motives. Also, I have to say, I'm not a shrink. A shrink is a psychiatrist. I am a psychologist. Sorry for what may seem like pedantry from the outside but our professions are completely different.

The blonde.

bellaphon said...

Steve- I'm glad, one out of one thus far, two hundred to go...ah Soho Square, bless those souls.

Helen- Ouch, ouch, ouch. I'm so sorry with the shrink labelling. Apologies. As for the admission, I find it difficult to bottle my feelings and best let the readers/bloggers know where I stand. As stated elsewhere I'm a heart on sleeve person, I don't do bull. I'm sorry that it has offended you but the declaration was more of a gratitude to bloggers like yourself. Once again thanks anyway.

Samantha Tan said...

Hmm whilst I think Yoshino is decent, I personally feel Japan Centre's own range of sushi since splitting with the former is superior.

It is priced/packaged/presented exactly the same but in my book simply tastes fresher and better- I find Yoshino's too-pale pink salmon avocado rolls just don't hit the spot the way JC's does. On top of that they offer waaay more variety, not just with standard cut rolls like Yoshino but also more elaborate multi-seafood concoctions, nigiri (usually with very generous slices of fish), sashimi, huge chirashi bowls, brown rice sushi etc not to mention excellent bento boxes, free miso soup on weekday afternoons and a fab selection of noodles/gyoza/tempura/other hot food.

Clearly I'm a fan, just wanted to share my humble opinion :)

Helen said...

No worries about the shrink thing - its more just me pointing out the difference really, it's a common mistake. No big deal. As for the admission, I still don't get it but, erm, whatever! as the kids say :)

Hollow Legs said...

I really like Yoshino, but I try and avoid things like chicken katsu sushi - it seems strange and wrong to me.

I too am a bit baffled by your admission, and I can't say I''m not disappointed that you won't be reading my blog anymore.

bellaphon said...

Sam- Thanks for sharing, despite my torrid time at the Japan Centre Restaurant Toku last year I vowed never to go back. Well, I trust your judgement and vows are made to be broken. I shall report back in due course.

Ms Foodstories and Hollow Legs- I'm a wind-up merchant. Do you remember when Eric Cantona babbled about "when the seagulls follow the trawler, it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea"? Yes nobody understood what that was about and that is the same with my some of my writings. Persevere with me, really I’m quite tolerable like King Eric.

NB If the Japanese can chuck beautifully battered pieces of tempura morsels in their soup noodles then the chicken katsu in the rolled rice seems less odd.

NB2 Lizzie, just for you I’ll suddenly become less dyslexic and read your blog again.

Helen said...

..but not for me? well now I really am offended ;)

bellaphon said...

Helen- I now plead long-sightedness, I will indeed read your blog from head to tail once I undergo corrective eye surgery...8)