V. A.
Google
In the span of a week. I tried out all the concepts: the store, the canteen, the bar/café, the takeaway, and the tasting menu. I really love the idea, and overall, the space is cute. The best is the restaurant downstairs, a mix of wood, black leather, and soft lighting. The food is delicious, and the presentation and service are top-notch. The canteen is very lovely, the service is prompt, the store is well-stocked, and the sales assistants are knowledgeable. What was a disaster? The bar! On a Saturday lunch, it was chaotic, but not in a good way. It was super disorganised and didn't feel Japanese at all. The counter where you were meant to order was full of food to be served. The waiter was standing outside the counter, with another behind him, piling dishes onto trays. The other waiter, who was supposed to be at the till for a takeaway order, was busy doing other things and not even acknowledging people. On the other side, a cashier was processing the take-away order that did not include hot drinks. It felt bizarre, stressful and not in line with the vibes of the other spaces. It felt way more relaxed in terms of service, but in a chaotic, rookie way, as if the people there had just started working there 10 minutes before opening. It is a shame. Also, to be a japanese store with Japanese ingredients, you'd expect the matcha to be outstanding. It tasted like a sad, nondescript matcha you can find in a machine at a station. So do try it out, but if you can avoid the bar until then, fix the issues with the staff.