🇬🇧 First Taste of Authentic Japanese Donabe Rice
In London's Japanese dining scene, Team Hannah always stands apart. They don’t chase flashy chef personas, nor ride the trendy "omakase sushi 🍣" wave. Instead, they champion rare, time-honored Japanese culinary traditions. Recently, they reimagined their Southbank flagship to focus on a slower, more deliberate craft: donabe (clay pot rice). Their kaiseiji offerings now thrive at Kokin in Stratford, continuing their poetic dialogue with seasons and tableware. This was my first donabe experience. A 30-minute wait with no visible flames—just a silent pact between clay, fire, water, and time. The rice emerged plump and glossy (no crispy bottom, surprisingly), yet this simplicity felt profoundly elegant. ✨ Standout Dishes: 🥔 Fried Potato Pave Layers of creamy potato with a whisper-thin crust, subtly smoked by herb-infused magic. Carb-lover’s dream! 🐟 Miso-Marinated Black Cod A caramelized exterior giving way to buttery flesh, balanced by sweet-salty miso. One bite = instant bliss. 🍚 Eel Rice Chose this over chicken-mushroom—unagi’s richness paired perfectly with the donabe’s gentle steam. Scallions added layers of revelation with each bite. 📍 Donabe Southbank Riverside, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 7PB (Steps from Gail’s Bakery + Hayward Gallery’s Yayoi Kusama exhibits!) #LondonEats #JapaneseFood #ClayPotRice #UnagiDon #LondonRestaurants #SlowFood #LondonDateSpot #SouthbankEats
