Foodle

Dinner last night at @ignilondon_ in London. Formerly Humo, and relaunched just 4 days ago as Igni with @cheftheoclench back behind the stoves following a period of absence from the front line since cooking at the excellent Cycene.
Having been busy consulting it’s great to see him heading up another exciting venture and I was glad to be able to squeeze in a visit on the way to the airport yesterday.
There are certainly plenty of restaurants embracing fire cooking right now, in the UK and beyond — but Igni feels immediately like one of the best. Sitting directly in front of the stunning open kitchen, with its pulleys, winches and ember pits, it was a genuine joy to watch each dish — the bread included — find its way across the flames at some point. Highly recommended
.
OYSTER | CUCUMBER | NASTURTIUM
TUNA | FOIE GRAS | SHISO
YUKON GOLD | LEEK | MISO
ASPARAGUS | SEAWEED | NORI
SCALLOP | MYOGA | MAPLE
TURBOT | LETTUCE | SAKE
HOGGET | SMOKED OLIVE BARLEY
TOFU | CHOCOLATE | KOJI
.
Michelin Guide -
Best Chef Awards -
W50B -
La Liste -
OAD -
.
#Achefabroad #AchefabroadTours #londonfoodie #londoneater #ukrestaurants Less

てんぷらこざき
阿倍野
グルメなお友達の恩恵で予約困難なこちらへ
前回同様今回もかき揚げコース5,500円を堪能
トップはこざきさんと言えばな海老のお頭の覚醒
香ばしさ・旨み・食感全て揃う掴みOKな逸品
車海老、筍、蓮根、甘鯛、鮎、カニ、穴子など
この季節の旬を詰め込んだ春のご馳走がずらり
素材の良さ生かしたてんぷらの衣は薄め
ぷりっ.サクッ.ぶりんっと口内は擬音のパレード
〆はかき揚げを天茶か天丼で、今回も天丼を選択
自分好みでつゆをかけて旨みを一気にかき込む
揚げ物なのに驚くほど軽く、胃もたれには無縁
油切れも完璧敷き紙がほぼ汚れない丁寧なお仕事
新地なら一桁上でも納得の内容を驚きの価格提供
天ぷらの新境地に出会える、素晴らしいお店
仕事に妥協無しの大将が指揮を執る家族総出切り盛り
20260405
⁡
⁡
🍤かき揚げコース 5.500円🍤
・付き出し
・天ぷら十品
・車海老のかき揚げ
・漬物
・白ご飯
⁡
⁡
てんぷらこざき
大阪市阿倍野区松崎町4-11-38
📞06-6628-0063
営業時間
火〜日曜日 17:30〜21:30
定休日 月曜日2025年10月30日 Less

Recommended bowl: Shoyu wontonmen

Part of the Mentetsu Group, this Osaka shop offers a shoyu soup made with whole chickens, chicken bones and gyokai. Noodles are house-made by Toyonaka Seimen, run by Mentetsu. Topped with wontons, negi (green onions) and nori (seaweed). Run by master Shoji-san, who on most days can be found making nigiri sushi at another shop in the group, Men Yaro. Flagship Mentetsu in Toyonaka open since 2003. This Higashi-Umeda Osaka branch since 2014. Less

Dinner at Mei-San’s counter felt like witnessing a chef entering a new and very confident phase of her career. The technical foundations were always there, but what stood out this time was refinement, restraint, and a stronger sense of personal identity. The meal had a calm confidence throughout, never relying on excess or theatrics, but instead focusing on precision, balance, and emotion.

One of the most noticeable developments was the size and structure of the nigiri. The pieces have become smaller, more delicate, and more elegant, allowing the neta and shari to integrate more naturally in a single bite. This lighter touch gave the entire progression a wonderful rhythm. Rather than overwhelming the palate with richness, Mei-San built layers of nuance and subtlety course after course.

There is now also a distinctly feminine touch to her sushi that makes the experience feel deeply personal and separates her from many others in Tokyo today. The flavors are softer and more graceful, yet still very expressive. Nothing feels forced. Every piece seems designed to create harmony rather than impact alone.

The botan shrimp was outstanding, carrying deep sweetness while remaining incredibly clean. The series of tuna was beautifully judged, especially the medium fatty tuna, which had excellent texture and clarity without becoming heavy. The kohada showed remarkable balance, with acidity integrated carefully rather than dominating the fish. Even richer pieces such as the sea urchin and minced tuna ohagi retained elegance and precision.

The meal also had excellent pacing. Mei-San understands when to build intensity and when to pull back, giving the dinner a very natural flow. The smaller nigiri style contributes enormously to this, making it possible to appreciate the details of seasoning, temperature, and texture without fatigue.

What impressed me most is that Mei-San no longer feels like she is following an established Tokyo style. Her counter now has its own voice. In a city filled with technically excellent sushi chefs, individuality is increasingly rare. Mei-San’s evolution toward a more delicate, graceful, and highly personal expression of sushi is what makes this meal so memorable. Less