Randomness Guide to London - Differences between Version 18 and Version 12 of Japan Centre, SW1Y 4EA
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| One-stop Japanese shop on Panton Street near [[Locale Piccadilly Circus|Piccadilly Circus]]. |
One-stop Japanese shop on [[Locale Regent Street|Regent Street]] near [[Locale Piccadilly Circus|Piccadilly Circus]], next door to (and possibly associated with) [[Mitsukoshi, SW1Y 4PH|Mitsukoshi]]. Previously located on [[Locale Piccadilly|Piccadilly]], it moved to its present location in 2009. |
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It was originally located on [[Locale Piccadilly|Piccadilly]] <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/2723837866/ photo]</small>, then [https://blog.japancentre.com/2009/09/10/japan-centre-food-shop-is-moving/ moved] to [[Locale Regent Street|Regent Street]] in 2009 (see <a href="http://london.randomness.org.uk/wiki.cgi?id=Japan_Centre%2C_SW1Y_4EA&version=13">earlier version of this page</a>), then [http://web.archive.org/web/20130925205821/http://www.japancentre.com:80/relocation moved again] to Shaftesbury Avenue in 2013 (see <a href="http://london.randomness.org.uk/wiki.cgi?id=Japan_Centre%2C_SW1Y_4EA&version=16">another earlier version of this page</a>), and then [https://blog.japancentre.com/2017/09/27/japan-centre-panton-street-now-open/ moved again] to Panton Street in September 2017. (The [[Japan Centre Ceramics And Sushi, W1D 7ED|Shaftesbury Avenue premises]] remain open but now specialise in ceramics and books.) |
At the front of the shop are chillers containing pre-packed trays of sushi to take away, as well as a hot food counter. (Note that while the takeaway sushi at the old location used to be supplied by [[Restaurant Yoshino, W1J 0DB|Restaurant Yoshino]], Yoshino and the Japan Centre are no longer associated; the Japan Centre's sushi is now under their own brand of [http://www.umaifactory.com/ Umai].) There are a few tables outside on the pavement and some more inside, to eat your purchases at. |
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The Panton Street location is currently the main Japan Centre branch, and sells a wide range of different Japanese food products, including baked goods, tea, sake, a small selection of fresh vegetables, fresh tofu <small>[https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/38012051431/ photo]</small>, frozen items <small>[https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/38012047851/ photo]</small>, dried seaweeds and other ingredients <small>[https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/38012044341/ photo]</small>, bottled sauces and condiments, and fresh meat and fish. It also stocks a small selection of books and ceramics <small>[https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/37981146892/ photo]</small>, though not as wide a choice as at the abovementioned ceramics and book shop. |
Further back is the food hall, which stretches back quite a long way and includes a bakery section, a magazine aisle, and a small ceramics section. Also on sale are fresh vegetables, pre-cut raw and seared meats, fish and seafood, and lots of other grocery items including yuba, various seaweeds, various kinds of miso, soy sauce, sushi rice, etc. Three or four freezers at the back hold natto, dumplings, and sweets. |
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Although its website describes it as having separate "specialist rooms" for tea, miso, and sake, these are really just themed alcoves along one wall, with shelves surrounding small central island displays. However, it's notable that as well as prepackaged versions, the tea and miso are available by weight. |
On [[Kake]]'s March 2010 visit the vegetable selection included lotus roots, fresh burdock, and shiso leaves, while notable items at the seafood counter were oysters and real fresh wasabi roots (priced at £21 apiece, though [http://www.mrfoodie.co.uk/37/japanese-food/fresh-wasabi/ this blog post] suggests you don't have to buy a whole one). |
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The layout is generally quite awkward, with long walks back and forward to get to the point where you can pay, and no thought seems to have been given to the flow of customers who've already paid and now want to leave. When [[Kake]] visited in October 2017, there was a long queue at the checkout even though the place was relatively quiet, not helped by there being only one member of staff on the tills who was also very carefully packing everyone's groceries after ringing them up. In one corner, there are chilled displays of sushi and sashimi, and there's also a central hot food station, with all food available to take away or eat on the premises. Hot sake is available for drinking in. The "central courtyard eating area" advertised on the website is rather over-advertised, being just an area in the middle of the shop with chairs and tables, but it does the job. In October 2017, [[Kake]] tried the avocado and aburaage brown rice nigiri (£3.60 for eat-in) <small>[https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/37981145732/ photo]</small>. This wasn't bad; it was nice to see brown rice, and the rice was cooked well and lightly seasoned. The assembly was a bit slapdash though, with the surrounding bands of seaweed starting to come undone and the avocado falling off one of the pieces. Accessibility: A step with no handrail, then two more, then the main staircase (with sturdy handrail on both sides), then two more steps with no handrail to get in at the main entrance. There's a flat entrance at the side, with a lift from here to the main area in the basement, but when we visited in October 2017 this entrance was marked as "no exit" and the lift was out of order. There is some form of customer toilet in the basement (not checked). |
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* Photos of the menu as of October 2017: [https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/37981148352/ ice cream and buns kiosk at entrance], [https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/38012042791/ donburi], [https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/26235915309/ noodles], [https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/37981138312/ drinks] * [http://asimplegeekylife.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/japan-centre-london-panton-street-is.html A Simple Geeky Life review] |
* [http://www.timeout.com/london/connect/food+drink/blog/191/irrashaimase-to-the-new-look-japan-centre Time Out article] |
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<div class="last_verified">Last visited by [[Kake]], October 2017. Opening hours taken from sign on door, October 2017.</div> address='35b Panton Street' category='Bookshops,Homewares,Japanese Food,Japanese Groceries,Sushi,Takeaway' edit_type='Minor tidying' fax='JapanCentre' formatted_website_text=' class="external">japancentre.com' host='185.69.145.96' hours_text='Mon-Sat: 10am-9:30pm; Sun: 11am-8pm' latitude='51.509968' locale='Piccadilly Circus,SW1' longitude='-0.132636' major_change='0' map_link='http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=529573&y=180711' node_image='https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4455/37981149382_4abb937c67_m_d.jpg' |
<div class="last_verified">Last visited by [[Kake]], March 2010</div> address='212 Piccadilly' category='Cafes,Japanese Food,Japanese Groceries,Sushi,Takeaway' edit_type='Normal edit' fax='' formatted_website_text='http://www.japancent...' host='213.165.225.132' hours_text='10am-9pm Mon-Sat; 11am-7pm Sun' latitude='51.508809' locale='Piccadilly Circus,Regent Street,SW1,St James's' longitude='-0.133793' major_change='1' map_link='http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=529496&y=180580' node_image='https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4463786732_c6420abff8_m.jpg' |
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node_image_url='https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/37981149382/' opening_hours_text='Mon-Sat: 10am-9:30pm; Sun: 11am-8pm' os_x='529573' os_y='180711' |
node_image_url='https://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/4463786732/' opening_hours_text='10am-9pm Mon-Sat; 11am-7pm Sun' os_x='529496' os_y='180580' |
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postcode='SW1Y 4EA' summary='One-stop Japanese shop on Panton Street near Piccadilly Circus.' |
postcode='W1J 9HX' summary='Japanese food hall, newsagent, and cafe/takeaway on Regent Street.' |
One-stop Japanese shop on Regent Street near Piccadilly Circus, next door to (and possibly associated with) Mitsukoshi. Previously located on Piccadilly, it moved to its present location in 2009.
At the front of the shop are chillers containing pre-packed trays of sushi to take away, as well as a hot food counter. (Note that while the takeaway sushi at the old location used to be supplied by Restaurant Yoshino, Yoshino and the Japan Centre are no longer associated; the Japan Centre's sushi is now under their own brand of Umai.) There are a few tables outside on the pavement and some more inside, to eat your purchases at.
Further back is the food hall, which stretches back quite a long way and includes a bakery section, a magazine aisle, and a small ceramics section. Also on sale are fresh vegetables, pre-cut raw and seared meats, fish and seafood, and lots of other grocery items including yuba, various seaweeds, various kinds of miso, soy sauce, sushi rice, etc. Three or four freezers at the back hold natto, dumplings, and sweets.
On Kake's March 2010 visit the vegetable selection included lotus roots, fresh burdock, and shiso leaves, while notable items at the seafood counter were oysters and real fresh wasabi roots (priced at £21 apiece, though this blog post suggests you don't have to buy a whole one).
See also:
Last visited by Kake, March 2010
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