Asta at Sozai – Japanese in Shoreditch – CLOSED

C and I stepped into Asta at Sozai yesterday lunch time, mostly because it was pouring with rain and we wanted to get inside where it was dry. We were heading to a Japanese cafe anyway and Asta was closer.

The interior is fairly spacious with high stools positioned along long steel benches. And if you’re not familiar with Japanese food, they helpfully have some artificial dishes laid out to explain what the different options are, including a range of bento boxes and ramen noodles.

Even the demo dishes look appealing

There’s a different special every day, and it’s worth checking their website for promotional deals and coupons.

Tom yum-yum! soup with tofu ramen noodles

Perfect for a cold, wet day, I had a tom yum soup base (Thai, with a spicy kick) with tofu – along with ramen noodles, sweetcorn, mushrooms and chilli @ £8.50, while C had a chicken ramen in tom yum soup also @ £8.50. It’s a meal in itself and at £8.50 is good value, and not overly filling.

Tom yum soup with chicken ramen noodles

Cooking’Scool – at Sozai

Restaurant info:
~ Lardbutty rating: 4 / 5
~ Type: Japanese
~ Address: 5 Middlesex Street, Shoreditch, London
~ Postcode: E1 7AA
~ Tel: 020 7247 7065
~ Nearest station: Aldgate, Aldgate East
~ Website + menus: Asta at Sozai
~ Photos on flickr: images of Asta food
~ Location: Asta map

RELATED LINKS
More East London dining:
~ Fora – Mediterranean restaurant, City branch
~ Japanese Canteen – great ramen, don + katsu curries around the City
~ Kastner & Ovens – great salad selection
~ Mama Thai – Indian + Thai take-away curries + noodles
~ Momo’wich – outstanding Thai + Malaysian
~ Needoo Grill – BYOB Indian grilled meats

Pizza Union – artisan pizzas Spitalfields

I’ve walked by Pizza Union several times now at lunch time and had to seriously resist from being swept off my feet and sucked inside.

The huge glass walls enable passers by to look in and see freshly made, thin, stone-baked pizzas being eaten by customers filling their bellies at long, shared wooden benches in a somewhat industrial or factory-looking large room.

And it’s invariably packed during the peak lunch hours through the week.

Inside Pizza Union – wood fired oven

The other day I could resist no more. And found myself having a late lunch (tables were mostly empty after 2pm), enjoying a thin, crispy 12″ Napoli pizza (tomato base, mozzarella cheese, anchovies, capers and black olives) with extra chilli @ £6.50. Bargain.

Napoli 12″ pizza with extra chilli

Everything about this place is easy and comfortable: you queue and order (and pay for) your food at the counter where you’re given a device which buzzes when your pizza’s ready.

All you have to do is find a seat, wait for the buzz, receive your Pizza Union ‘artisan pizza’ and enjoy. Simplicity. One of life’s little (but very fine) pleasures.

Menu – fresh ingredients, very reasonably priced

Fiorentina – spinach, olives and runny egg @ £5.50

Quattro formaggi @ £5.50

Making pizza one Thursday evening

Restaurant info:
~ Lardbutty rating: 4 / 5
~ Type: Italian, pizza
~ Address: 25 Sandy’s Row, Spitalfields, London
~ Postcode: E1 7HW
~ Nearest station: Liverpool Street, Aldgate East, Aldgate
~ Website: Pizza Union website
~ Menu: Pizza Union sample menu
~ Photos on flickr: images of Pizza Union food
~ facebook page: Pizza Union facebook page
~ Location: Pizza Union map

RELATED LINKS
More Spitalfields dining:
~ Fora – Mediterranean restaurant, City branch
~ Kastner & Ovens – great salad selection
~ Mama Thai – Indian + Thai take-away curries + noodles
~ Momo’wich – outstanding Thai + Malaysian

Kastner + Ovens

A great lunch spot @ Spitalfields

Kastner & Ovens has long been an independent deli in Covent Garden, and is now in Spitalfields too.

There’s a selection of healthy and interesting salads (a big box is £6.00) with options such as broccoli in peanut dressing, roast beetroot salad, feta cheese and veg, etc and hot dishes which change daily (sometimes bolognaise @ £6.00, pasta dishes, cottage pies, meat pies, etc), all freshly cooked.

Daily menu

At lunchtime today, I had lamb stuffed aubergine @ £3.20 with a side salad @ £2.20.

Lamb stuffed aubergine – nice n spicy with a crunchy top

The minced lamb was mixed with couscous and spices (cinnamon/nutmeg, chilli) and had a grilled, crunchy top – very tasty!

Side salad – roast beetroot, broccoli in peanut dressing + all sorts

Quiche – soft, wobbly eggy base with a golden top

Frittata @ £3.20 a slice

 

It’s not hard to figure out why there’s always a queue here. It’s seriously good, fresh and healthy too.

Food info:
~ Lardbutty rating: 4 / 5
~ Type: British, international (deli)
~ Address: 13 Frying Pan Alley, Spitalfields, London
~ Postcode: E1 7LU
~ Nearest station: Aldgate, Aldgate East
~ Photos on flickr: images of Kastner and Ovens food
~ facebook page: Kastner and Ovens facebook page
~ Location: Kastner and Ovens map

RELATED LINKS
More Spitalfields dining:
~ Fora – Mediterranean restaurant, City branch
~ Kastner & Ovens – great salad selection
~ Mama Thai – Indian + Thai take-away curries + noodles
~ Pizza Union – stonebaked pizza, Spitalfields