25/09/2025
Japanese Food in North London!
If you have been stationed in Japan and have decided to live in North London, due to its easy access to the City, you might want to try Nippon Izakawa, in Finchley.
While proceeding there you might want to have a quick thought of gratitude to St. Francis Xavier. Why? Well it is a little known fact that this important Portuguese Missionary was indirectly responsible for the creation of Tempura.��What happened was this. In 1549 St Francis started his first missionary work in Japan, where he stayed for 2 years, before proceeding to China. (Evidence of his ministry can be found in Macau, a soothing antidote to the Casinos nearby!)
While the Saint was in Japan he showed the Japanese how to make ‘Peixinhos da horta’ - little fish from the vegetable garden. These are actually long beans wrapped in batter. The Japanese thought that was interesting but improved on the recipe by inventing Tempura - a much much lighter covering. This is traditionally served with tentsuyu, a slightly salty dipping sauce made from dashi (fish stock), soy sauce, and mirin. Really good places will present this with a spoonful of grated daikon radish.
My companion, an eminent physician, had just been to Tokyo and was highly enthusiastic about this place.
I liked the attention to detail. The sushi chef was Japanese and I spoke to him about the years of training – in fact more than my Doctor Companion!
He delivered sashimi of red prawn first with pickles alongside and then Tempura – the batter was not quite as impossibly thin as the Tempura Shops in Kyoto, but was good!
I liked the soups and the Bento Box, but the star was the sushi selection which was most attractive, with the rice just the right room temperature (not too cold – a major issue with Japanese restaurant chains in London.)
The place was full, had a great tea selection and the House Saké was dry with a clean finish and a good price. This reasonably priced restaurant is well worth a visit, especially in a group.
I have been agonising over whether to award this place 3 or 4 Pelham Peacocks, but in the end went with 🦚🦚🦚. The price/quality ratio was good but Rokkon’s overall quality and feel in Chiswick is so so much better that I needed to differentiate appropriately!
Nippon Izakawa
843 High Road
Finchley
London
N12 8PT
