The scene Chic with an oriental feel, yet in no way kitschy, the focus is totally on the plate here. Everyone has a tap for cool still or sparkling water within reach, while the staff is never more than a friendly nod away.

A hit with the suits around Liverpool Street station at lunchtime, this Wednesday night is quiet at the newly opened second branch. It doesn’t take many arrivals for a friendly buzz to emerge though, making this an ideal meeting place ahead of a big night out in the Shoreditch area. 

The grub No flavour-lacking pandering to the lowest common taste bud denominator here, as every plate we try is a tongue tickler. But for all the clever tweaks that make this ‘modern’ Japanese, the salmon sashimi first grabs my attention – a measure of any good sushi/Japanese joint, it’s perfectly fatty and uber fresh.

Next, quaint crab and rice paper rolls have fresh white meat and avocado salsa in a happy marriage with chilli mayo. Salmon tataki – lightly seared and wrapped around garlic cress, cucumber and red chilli slivers with a ponzu (Japanese citrus) dressing – is beautifully clean on the palate.

All perfect food to drink to – Japanese beers are made to go with this stuff, so don’t argue with the Asahi staring at you from the fridge.

The star of the show is the special black cod, expertly marinated and pan-fried (they insist it wasn’t done in a water bath, but it’s so damn silky …) and served with a miso and ginger juice vinaigrette. Wow.

We order lamb chops in the same sauce – a perfectly pink treat. Then we find room for another black cod, and a silky green tea mousse for dessert. Sat-is-fied!
 

Behind the bar The manager’s passionate about sake and has hand-selected some of his faves, at £7.50-£24.50 per 300ml flask.

Beers include Asahi Super Dry, London’s Camden Hells Lager and Owa, from £3.95 a bottle. White, red and sparkling wines are picked to go with the menu, from £3.75/ £14.95 a glass/ bottle.

Bill please Colour-coded dishes cost £2-£7.50 each. Eat well for £15-£20 a head. 

Verdict Fresh, bold and classy fare on a train but with absolute care. 

K10 Broadgate, 3 Appold Street,
EC2A 2AF
k10.com  
Tube | Liverpool Street

 

Photos: Getty