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Image by Phoebe Ferris-Rotman
Abeno Too is a fantastic find in the centre of London next to Leicester Square tube station. The small restaurant has a few tables but the best seat is at the large circular bar. While most people associate Japanese food with sushi, Abeno Too serves the other side of the cuisine. You won’t have heard of many dishes, but that’s part of what makes this sweet simply decorated restaurant so intriguing.
Their specialty is the delicious ‘Okonomi-yaki’, a savoury pancake made of cabbage, egg, dough, spring onions, ginger and a ‘tempura’ batter. You can choose extra ingredients such as tofu or prawn, and it’s fried right in front of you on metal hot grills.
They also have a great selection of hot and cold sake which is served in a ‘masu’, a traditional wooden box. The staff are very friendly and welcoming, and eager to advise on food choices and answer questions.
Abeno Too | Snacks, Restaurants (Japanese) | Prawn Okonomi-yaki £ 9.80
17-18 Great Newport Street | Central | +442073791160
Mon – Sat 12:00 – 23:00, Sun 12:00 – 22:00
I really don’t like Abeno Too! I went there once and ordered Agedashi Tofu – it came out cold and the sauce had turned into a thick gelatinous slop. Which is ok, so long as the staff are happy to take it back to the kitchen and replace it with something else. Except the (european) waiter refused to do this and told me that this was how agegashi tofu is made and there wasn’t anything wrong with it. So if they can’t even get a simple dish like that right….if this was an authentic japanese restaurant this would never have happened!
this is funny, I live in London and I was thinking of writing something here and ABENO was one my suggestions. I discovered it 5 years ago and since then I have invited many friends there and they all loved it.
Now, I’d have to think of something else…
Fantastic!! Haven’t had Okonomi-yaki since in Japan years ago. Would fly there from states to get it, but London is much closer. Will come to Abeno Too ASAP. Thanks!!