Mitsuba — Restaurant in London

We ordered a lunch set that included one piece of salmon, a boiled egg, and a small bowl of vegetables. The dessert plate was the most enjoyable part of the meal. However, the other items were rather ordinary and resembled what one might typically prepare at home. Despite the simplicity, the café charged a relatively high price, seemingly justified only by the presentation. I did not expect such pricing from a casual café. Initially, we planned to try one set and, if it was satisfactory, order more. However, we eventually decided to leave and went elsewhere to properly satisfy our hunger.

The lady at the counter was not smiling, which negatively affected the overall experience.

Regarding the matcha, the straw had already broken when we had only just started drinking it. The lavender green tea is not worth ordering. If one must choose a drink, the brown sugar matcha is the better option. However, there was noticeable residue at the bottom, which we were unable to mix properly due to the lack of an appropriate straw or stirring implement.

The bun had an interesting appearance, but it was extremely tough, and it was unclear how long it had been left out. We asked for a table knife but were given a cake knife instead, as we were told that table knives were not available at the café. This was rather surprising and quite impractical.

Based on the business model, the food, and the overall level of service, it seemed quite evident to me that the restaurant is not operated by Japanese owners, which has also been confirmed by the staff. If you’re looking for authentic Japanese food, I’d rather go somewhere else, but if you like Toronto, the bun is quite...

If there was a separate section for drinks, that would get a 5/5. The matcha was not bitter at all, was very earthy and the depth of flavor was great. I got the lavender matcha with oat milk, and we also had a strawberry matcha, taro milk, and a black sesame latte at the table. They were all wonderful. (Since they were so good, I boosted the food rating from 3 to 4) The pastries were boring, not particularly delicious, and honestly just fell flat. We ordered the strawberry matcha cake slice, the Miffy bread (red bean mochi bread), the croissant, and the vegan croissant. The vegan croissant was frankly terrible. The regular croissant was not even as good as a costco croissant, and neither were warmed up (their microwave was broken, but that is arguably the worst way to warm up a flaky or bready dessert considering that would just make it soft or even soggy!). The Miffy bread was the best, but there wasn’t enough filling to properly even taste the red bean or get the chew from the mochi. The cake was acceptable and wasn’t too sweet which was nice. The sets were okay, but not particularly special or delicious. If not for the drinks, I would have rated 3/5 for food. (2/5 for the pastries) Service was fine, but I noticed the first barista in the morning when we first got there was sniffling and sneezing and not washing her hands before handling the trays and plates. I mean, she didn’t directly handle the food, but she did the drinks which was gross. She also didn’t wear a mask which I would have seen as an...

I have never been so disappointed with a coffee shop before! Last month, I spent over £100 here while working and even recommended it to my friends because the drinks were good and the environment was quite comfortable. However, I have to say that the rules of this place are excessive and unreasonable.

Firstly, one of the staff members had a very poor and rude attitude, although I haven't seen her this month. Secondly, you cannot eat outside food in the café (which I understand), but you also cannot use the restroom without permission. I witnessed a truck driver being denied restroom access because he hadn’t made a purchase, and even paying customers have to enter a complicated code each time they use the restroom.

Additionally, the prices for dining in are significantly higher than for take-away. Although expensive, I accepted it as I thought the extra charge was for the pleasant environment. But today, while I was working and consuming their products as usual, I was reminded three times that I couldn't use the power outlet for too long because of high electricity costs they couldn't afford to cover. I was told I could use the outlet for a maximum of two hours!

I am extremely furious about this. I am being charged for the environment but am not even allowed to charge my devices? I find this completely unreasonable and will never return to...