Ta Ke Sushi — Restaurant in London

I had dinner at a Japanese restaurant with my family in Ta Ke Sushi in Ealing today and wanted to share a few thoughts.

I ordered some sushi, which was just alright. The fish-to-rice ratio was fine, but the rice itself was a bit too loose and didn’t hold together well.

I also wanted something hot, so we ordered karaage chicken, stir-fried vegetables, and tonkotsu ramen. The karaage reminded me of chicken nuggets – but in a better way. It was nicely seasoned with a tender inside, almost like a higher-quality version of chicken nuggets.

The stir-fried vegetables were pretty standard. The flavour was okay, though I did feel the portion was on the smaller side.

Unfortunately, the tonkotsu ramen was a bit of a letdown. The broth tasted very heavy on MSG and quite artificial. Although all the toppings were there, the overall taste wasn’t satisfying – I’d honestly say I’ve had better results making instant tonkotsu ramen at home. We both felt quite thirsty afterwards and didn’t end up drinking much of the soup. The noodles were overly soft and mushy, more like instant noodles that had been soaking too long.

Initially, I wasn’t planning to write a review since the food was mostly unremarkable. However, I felt quite uncomfortable at the end of the meal. When the staff brought the card machine over for payment, they mentioned that we could leave a tip if we wanted to. We politely chose not to, but the staff member then remarked (perhaps unintentionally) that the tips go directly to the staff. It came across in a way that felt a bit awkward and pressuring, even if that wasn’t the intention.

If you don’t mind a bit of pressure around tipping and are in the mood for some average Japanese food, this place might still be worth a try. But personally, it wasn’t a place I’d...

Every so often, in the labyrinth of predictable sushi joints, you stumble upon a culinary unicorn - a place so superb you almost don’t want to share it. Enter Ta Ke Sushi: an unassuming little spot that the locals clearly know about, given it’s perpetually packed. Trust me, you’ll want to make a reservation unless your hobby is gazing longingly at other people’s food from the pavement.

Let’s talk sushi: the fish here is fresh. They have a simple policy - if the fish isn’t top-notch that day, they just won’t serve it. Case in point: the elusive o-toro. If it’s on the menu, drop whatever basic roll you were eyeing, because this buttery delight is everything that resemble luxurious, fatty tuna nirvana. Frankly, Mayfair sushi places could take a few notes.

Then there’s Vanessa. If she’s your server, congratulations - you’ve basically won the sushi lottery. Friendly, attentive, and armed with ninja-level sake knowledge, Vanessa will guide you through the extensive menu like a culinary sherpa. Just trust her recommendations; she has yet to steer me wrong, and your taste buds will thank you.

Now, the lineup here is a veritable all-star cast of Japanese staples. You’ll find the usual suspects - sashimi, nigiri, and rolls galore—but also ramen, udon, and tempura so good you’ll wonder if you ever truly knew tempura before.

Must-try dishes? The o-toro sashimi and nigiri, the volcano roll, the delicately crispy prawn tempura, and the melt-in-your-mouth black cod. Oh, and foie gras with fried rice, because why not elevate your meal with a little extravagance?

Still got room for dessert? Good, because they do a mille crepe cake that feels like the end credits to an Oscar-winning movie. This place is always a hit, never a miss—so what are you...

The quality of the sushi was very good and the service from the waitresses were excellent. Very welcoming staff, helpful and fast. The food didn’t take long to arrive which was surprising and a nice change from other Japanese restaurants. Some of portion sizes of the dishes were a little smaller than most other Japanese restaurants such as the spinach and agedashi tofu but the quality and freshness was on par with other Japanese restaurants in London. The spinach sauce lacked a little flavour and would have been better with a bit more sesame flavour, salt (soy sauce) and as touch sweeter.

However some of the dishes were unfortunately quite poor. The Tonkotsu noodles was perhaps the worst I have had anywhere in the world which came as a big surprise as the other dishes seemed quite authentic. The noodles were a little overcooked and did not seem to be fresh noodles but the main issue was the soup(broth). The broth tasted identical (if not worse) than that from instant tonkotsu noodle packets. Very watery and lacked flavour. There was no pork bone broth taste at all. I am convinced it was made using instant noodle soup packets. Given the price of £11.50, this was definitely not worth the price. The single half egg was a little stingy but tasted very good. The chashu pork was OK, but not great. The texture was reasonable but not the “melt in your mouth” quality one would expect and was not marinaded very well as it seemed quite bland. Overall I would give the tonkotsu noodles 2/10.

The restaurant was clean and decor very nice. Generally a nice experience. Service charge was 12.5% which we were happy to pay as the service was very good indeed. We would go back only for the sushi and bentos but not for the...