JAPANESE CONVERSATION GROUP

FOOD

It goes without saying that, here at the Japanese Conversation Group, we love Japanese food! So, in addition to our monthly 'conversation' events, we thought we would put our futomaki where our mouth is and make a few trips to some of the excellent Japanese restaurants in London. Details of our culinary escapades follow below!


Tuesday, 20th February 2007
Asakusa
265 Eversholt Street, NW1 1BA, Camden, Tel: 020 7388 8533/8399

This year's first Conversation Group restaurant night took place at Asakusa, an izakaya near Mornington Crescent tube station. In all, eleven members made it out, and a wide range of dishes from the ippin ryori menu and (purists, avert your eyes) a generous quantity of white wine was had for less than £20 a head. This is one of our favourite venues as the authentic atmosphere means that you really feel you are in Japan. In fact, it can be quite a shock when you leave the restaurant, and suddenly emerge back into North London. Based on the popularity of this event (see smiling faces above), we hope to arrange another for March. Further details to follow.

Saturday, 10th March
Joy King Lau
3 Leicester Street , WC2H 7BL, Chinatown, Tel: 020 7437 1132

The second Japanese Conversation Group meal of 2007 took place at Joy King Lau on Saturday, 10 March. The restaurant comprises two floors (the ground floor being the formal, decorated dining area; the first floor is rather more spartan), and is located halfway between Chinatown and Leicester Square, just a few steps away from the Prince Charles Cinema. Eight Conversation Group members made it along, and a good range of well-presented dim sum was had for a very reasonable ’8 per head.

Following the meal, most of the group went to see Letters from Iwo-Jima, a Japanese language production directed by Clint Eastwood. As the companion piece to his 2006 release, gFlags of our Fathersh, the film depicts sympathetically the defence of Japan's most distant Home Island in the latter stages of the Pacific War. Particularly strong performances are seen from Ken Watanabe and Tsuyoshi Ihara as General Tadamichi Kuribayashi and Baron Nishi respectively. Conversation Group members may be interested to know that the UK DVD release of this film has been fixed as 2 July; rental copies should be available very shortly.

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