Neil Littman visits a traditional Japanese restaurant in Palmers Green

On a pleasant Friday evening I headed off to Takenoya Sushi in Green Lanes, Palmers Green, along a stretch of the high street occupied by cafés, takeaways, and beauticians.

Takenoya initially opened in 2020 but only got going properly after the pandemic in 2022. On the evening I was there, several tables were occupied by families, and it genuinely felt like those ‘casual dining’ neighbourhood restaurants that you find all over the world with an informal atmosphere, a friendly welcome, and the bonus of good food and drink at a decent price.

I must confess, Japanese food is one of my favourite cuisines because it offers such a wide variety for both vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.

The décor is traditional Japanese, furnished with a few prints and lantern-style lights. There are two dining areas, with smaller tables at the front and larger tables at the back, plus teppanyaki grills which were not in use on the evening I visited.

As I was eating on my own I tried to cover a wide selection off the menu. I went for soft-shell crab tempura to start (£12.50) followed by eight different kinds of sushi (£19.80) and a side order of kimchi, a Korean dish of fermented cabbage (an acquired taste!) enhanced with red chilli.

The chilli heat of the kimchi crept up on me, to the point where I had to stop eating it before it overwhelmed the taste of the other dishes. The sushi was very good (provided you like raw fish) and included salmon, mackerel and tuna wrapped around rice with a soy sauce dip on the side. All this was washed down with a bottle of Kirin Ichiban beer, a bargain at £3.50.

The menu is extensive with a good range of noodle dishes, stir-fries and soups. The best value is the bento boxes – a complete meal for between £9.50 and £21.

My bill came to £42 including drinks and service – the staff were very pleasant.

Takenoya Sushi at 396 Green Lanes, Palmers Green, is open Tuesday to Saturday, 12pm-10pm:
Call 020 8886 8681
Visit takenoyasushi.co.uk

Do you have any suggestions for restaurants in Enfield to review or feedback on the places Neil has already visited? He would love to hear from Dispatch readers:
Email [email protected]

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