Yakitoria

Since previous visits, not only have the staff improved - they are now less intrusive, and hover around less - but the menu has recently been changed, for better. Prices are still high (but less so than before) and portions are small, but quality is very good and everything we ordered was delicious. Japanese food demands fresh, high quality ingredients so the prices aren't entirely unjustified. The location is bland and early in the week it can seem a little dead, but the service is now excellent and the interior design is spectacular in an odd way.
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GH
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Wednesday, December 05, 2007

After a gym we visited Yakitoria for a lunch. Well, one can safely say it is geared towards more corporate clientele. It is located in a newly developed business complex and does not have any Japanese restaurants in the proximity – thus it is able to ‘go for the balls’ with the pricing. The portions are miniscule (even on the Japanese scale) and nothing special. In simple words, wont be going back – better value sushi can be bought anywhere else!
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TK13
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 4 | Value for money 2
Sunday, December 02, 2007

We (my wife and I) went out last night to a friend's birthday dinner in Yakitoria. Having read the mixed reviews, we were a little apprehensive but chose not to question our friend, the dinner organiser.

Given the fact that there aren't many places in the Paddington area for eating Japanese cuisine, Yakitoria has found a niche and could sustain business for a while...

The decor is mediocre - the Apple PowerBook at the reception desk is a nice add, but the rest of the decor doesn't do the Mac any justice.

Within the first 30 seconds, disappointment had already entered our minds - behind the sushi counter, the area where you'd expect to find the Japanese sushi chefs stood 2 sushi chefs speaking fluent Chinese (Cantonese).

The menu options were basic and overly priced, with some western dishes thrown in with a hint of oriental fusion. Who on earth would think that beef steak and lamb chops would be a staple Japanese diet???

My wife's asked me to keep this review short so I'll try to speed things up:

Service - whilst I do believe in racial equality - having an east European serving me sushi that’s been made by a Chinese person just leaves an odd feeling in me. Almost as odd as having a large Nigerian lady serving me Sze Chuan Prawns! (I’m Chinese BTW). The waiting staff made every effort to make our stay enjoyable - but need a little more practice.

Menu - limited choice to begin with but when told more than 9 items on the menu aren't available…I originally wanted the assorted Sashimi with the sea urchin and was told that they didn't have any sea urchin, interestingly enough the same waiter forgot to tell another person on the same table and when the food arrived, they'd substituted with another item...poor communication. The menu is overly priced for what you get, portions are small. The £32 main course sirloin steak (under the “large dishes” section of the menu) was ordered by a member on the table, when that arrived we joked that his “starter” looked nice - so what's for mains???

To conclude - the restaurant location is nice. Convenient for taking your clients to if working in that area. The sushi price is a little more expensive that it should be but reasonable for the area, however the remainder of the menu is overly priced. The sushi quality is no way near the mark of where Yakitoria is trying to market itself at though.

If we had a "half price" voucher would we go back? No. If you want value for money and I’m not talking cheap meals, but rather good quality Japanese cuisine at a reasonable price, there are plenty of other Japanese run sushi restaurants a short cabs ride away.
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William
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 0
Sunday, September 09, 2007

Like some other reviewers, we were told that not all of the items on the menu were available to order, which didn't make a great first impression - particularly as I had only called to book the restaurant about an hour earlier, and the missing items in question were the skewered meats after which the restaurant takes its name.

But it's difficult to find fault with the food itself - or the price, which by London standards seems reasonable enough. Certainly my Japanese guests were very impressed - although it's not strictly accurate to call this Japanese food: there's an element of fusion, which works very well. The desserts in particular were astonishingly tasty - particularly the apple crumble with azuki beans and yuzu custard. All washed down with Kirin Ichiban - the greatest beer in the world.
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Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Thursday, August 30, 2007

I had the diametric opposite experience to 'Feeling Fleeced' – as in I thought the food was spectacular, some of the best sushi I've eaten, and I lived in Japan for a year – but the service was pretty lame. Slow and I felt they really didn't know (or care) what they were doing. Word has it though it's under new management so may be it'll pick up. It's the most beautiful space, if a bit barn-like as another reviewer said. Prices are pretty full-on, though the (very good) wagyu beef was £40 which is standard for wagyu in London.
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Jane
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 6
Thursday, August 16, 2007

Beautiful restaurant with very good service. But the food is simply awful, the portions are tiny and the prices are shocking high (in the same stratosphere as Nobu). The sushi is not fresh, the cuts of fish are slim and looks rubbery. At £3-4 per tiny piece, it's a scam. The miso soup came luke warm and it was advertised as a soup that came with clams (which is what makes this soup tasty), mussels, and cockles. We only got mussels (the cheapest of the three ingredients). A set of nigiri sushi advertised as "seared yellowtail, salmon, white tuna, unagi, ....." came with all pieces not just seared but cooked through almost completely. The wording is confusing because I interpreted it as only the yellowtail is seared. The desserts were bland. The green tea that was ordered was sent back because it contained mostly water and very little green tea.
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Feeling fleeced
Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, July 31, 2007

A review below asked of the staff 'god knows how they cope when it's busy'.

Well, the answer is - they don't. Which is a shame, as the food (particularly the suhi, sashimi, dumplings and tempura) is fantastic. What wasn't so good on the Saturday evening we visited was the number of dishes unavailable. To be told upon arrival was fair enough, but to wait almost an hour for a main course and THEN to be told it was unavailable really just wasn't good enough.

As for 'ambience' - our banquet seating in the corner was so gloomy that we asked the waiter if the lighting could be turned up a touch. We then agreed between us that he would forget. We were correct. The lighting remained uncomfortably dim throughout our meal. Thank god there was just enough light for us to refuse to pay the service charge...

Oh, and they run out of beer as well.
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Juddlinski
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 4
Monday, July 30, 2007

I was intrigued by the fact that reviews for Yakitoria ranged from ravishing to highly critical, and upon visiting the place, I add my voice to the praising crowd. The owners certainly did not spare a penny for the design of everything from the curtains to the spoons, and the restaurant feels refreshingly different in terms of shapes and colours, yet being calm and peaceful. The service was very attentive, with at least five people taking care of us during the evening, and being helpful with explanations and suggestions. The food was thoughfully presented and the rolls we had were rather original, if their taste was slight on the mild side. Altogether this added up to an evening to remember, if at a slightly pricy cost. Would go back without hesitation and with much anticipation.
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Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 8
Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Went to this Restaurant last night and have to say that I do not understand the negative comments I have seen posted. Food was really very good and I found the service attentive and pleasant.

It is not a cheap place to eat but its interior has a real wow factor and when the works on Bishop Bridge and the surrounding Area are completed it will be a real target venue.

I will go back for sure.
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Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 7
Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Went to this restaurant on a Friday night and was very pleased. The food was delicious and the service very attentive. It wasn't particularly busy, but then I don't really rate that! Pre-dinner belinis by the canal was a very nice way to start the meal too.

We went with a group of eight and sat on the big round table underneath the world's most enormous (and pink) lampshade, which was very cosy! Recommended.
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C H
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Wednesday, June 06, 2007