Kingston upon Thames Kingston upon Thames
Obon

Obon

42 Richmond Rd, Kingston Upon Thames, United Kingdom, Kingston upon Thames

Soup • Fish • Sushi • Japanese


"Obon: a petit Japanese udon restaurant that supplies a sense of Japan that cannot be found anywhere else in the whole of the Uk. (5 stars) Location: Obon is located close to the heart of Kingston but the road it’s on is considerably quieter. You must make sure to have a basic knowledge of Kingston in order to find an area to park and to also make sure you leave yourself enough time, taking the unpredictability of the traffic into acount. Even on a week day there can be traffic jams which can put a halt to your plans and due to the small amount of customers Obon can take its important that you not only book but make sure that you arrive at the agreed booking time. With this being said the staff are all lovely so if you are running late, a quick call is all that is required to just give Obon a chance to understand your position. The food: The array of exquisitely prepared sashimi will be sure to create the sensation that you are in a top Japanese restaurant in japan and the flavour of the fish does not fail to match expectations, which will be very high after just one glance at your meal. The fish is delicately seasoned and practically melts on your tongue, this causes a lovely sensation and is genuinely the finest sushi I have tasted in the uk and even matches a lot of the top restaurants in japan. On top of just the traditional types of sushi, which to many is maki rolls Obon also offers many other delicious options such as soft shell crab and even Unagi don, which I must highly recommend due to it consistently being the highlight of my meal. For those of you that were interested in the quality of the basic Japanese dishes such as miso soup or edamame they do not fail to leave you in grand anticipation for what is to come for they are, simply speaking, incredibly good. The miso, in my opinion, is truly remarkable and creates a lasting feeling of warmth throughout your entire body, on top of that it is far superior to other miso’s that I have tasted in all other areas of the world. Overall the quality of the food is something you would expect from a world famous Michelin star restaurant and if you want Japanese food it’s the only place I can recommend. The Restaurant: The restaurant itself is small but authentic in nature and because it only has a enough tables to host around 20 people at the most, the service is exceptionally good and your food is always out quickly so you will not be left hungry for very long. The staff are kind and friendly. And it’s always an enjoyable experience being waves goodbye as you leave the restaurant. You’re also able to watch as they prepare the food, which for some could be entertaining. There are Japanese photos scattered around the room and this further creates an authentic feel. The atmosphere is not lively but it is a restaurant and not a bar so is an ideal location if you are wanting high quality food. With this being said it is still a great place to go with friends and I consistently am able to have a great time no matter the occasion. Price: Obviously, the price of the food is always an important topic to come to and despite the cost of the sushi being slightly higher than you may expect from a small restaurant in Kingston, I would have to say that for the quality of the food it is ultimately a bargain. For three people, you would be spending around £100 so it isn’t cheap but you can go for cheaper types of food such as udon, which is still amazing quality and won’t set you back as much money. Overall: Obon is still my favourite restaurant in the whole of the Uk and is perfect for a special occasion but it isn’t the sort of place you’d go for a casual night out. The food is beyond incredible and thus they can cater for both children and adults by meeting every bodies needs. For anybody that enjoys sushi, I would urge you to give it a go, you won’t regret it"

The Willow

The Willow

16 The Triangle, Kingston upon Thames, United Kingdom

Steak • European • Vegetarian • Contemporary


"We booked a table at The Willow for a birthday celebration and it didn 't disappoint. We were initially intrigued by the restaurant 's website and the range of food it offered and we were curious to see if it lived up to its promise. On arrival we were greeted and taken to our table all the tables were beautifully set out and the lighting was soft and ambient. Each table had a lily in a little vase and coupled with the shining glass and silverware and the unobtrusive music in the background, the impression was very positive and welcoming. Excellent first impressions! I ordered brill in a black squid ink batter, pea shoots and sweet potato fries and my wife, a vegan, ordered a Rainbow Salad and Falafel burger with sourdough bun and sweet potato fries. Both meals were of a very high quality: the fish was expertly cooked, fresh and delicious and the batter was remarkable and delectable. It was a revelation to us both to try sweet potato fries a first. They were delicious and very moreish and we will definitely be having them again. My wife was very taken with the Rainbow Salad and asked to see the ingredients for future reference. The Manager willingly showed us the restaurant book where we were able to see colour photos of all the dishes and their ingredients and any allergens and dietary information. For dessert my wife had a B Raw raspberry cheesecake (made with coconut) and on finding out that it was her birthday, the chef wrote 'Happy Birthday ' in dark chocolate sauce across the plate a really lovely touch! I had Almond and Chocolate Dome with raspberry ice cream: delicious too. All in all we had a wonderful, relaxed and enjoyable meal at The Willow. We will definitely be returning to sample more of the dishes on their extensive menu. There is something for everybody at The Willow: meat eaters, fish eaters, vegetarians and vegans are amply catered for and their philosophy of food is encouraging and to be recommended. Thank you very much!"