Using your noodle
The literal meaning of Ichizen is "one pair of chopsticks and a set meal" but this falls short of encapsulating the buzzy, youthful atmosphere and breadth of choice offered at this London noodle bar. The restaurant's offering of Oriental cuisine with a Western influence and its modern, open appearance have already captured the attention of design magazines and the local Fitzrovia population of trendy media-types.
"We wanted to create an atmosphere where a young woman would feel comfortable eating here on her own and have something tasty and healthy to eat," says owner, Andrew Levene.
Changing tactics
Locals, predominantly in the 20-30 age group and spending an average of £15 per head, are drawn regularly to the restaurant, which is set on two floors. A louder upper floor, dominated by a bar, can seat 28 diners, while a more sedate basement has room for 45.
When Ichizen opened in December last year, the major feature of the menu was an option for diners to "build their own meal" from four sections - style of dish, main component of dish, type of noodle or rice, and spiciness of dish. Customer feedback indicated that this presentation was providing too much choice for some diners and possibly putting off some potential customers. So now, the menu is presented in a more traditional Western format, with a selection of 11 starters, and eight main courses. A dessert menu is in the planning stages.
A smaller "build your own" element still exists in the form of a stir-fry selection option, including three sauces, choice of five protein meal centres and five noodle or rice accompaniments.
The reshaping of the menu coincided with the arrival of a new head chef, Howard Youarn, whose 12 years' working in a number of Chinese and Western restaurants both in the UK and Europe made him an ideal choice for Ichizen.
One of Youarn's favourite dishes, because it represents this fusion of Western and Oriental styles, is sachimi tuna - fresh tuna steak served rare, coated in seven Japanese spices and white sesame seeds, accompanied by Singapore noodles and a sweet chilli dressing (£10.90).
Flavours captured in a dish of crispy glazed duck (£10.50) are predominantly Oriental, although the dish is presented in a French-style stack, giving it a Western slant, which appeals both to Youarn and Ichizen's regular diners. The duck breast is served rare with wilted pak choi, stir-fried ramen noodles and a plum and prune compote. Duck is also a popular choice of starter in the form of traditional pancakes (£4.70) comprising a confit of duck wrapped in a pancake roll with cucumber, leek and plum sauce.
Other starters in the extensive selection include yakitori - skewered chicken and spring onion chargrilled and glazed with plum sauce (£3.90) - and tempura, either prawn (£4.90) or vegetables (£3.50).
It's still early days for Youarn, who heads a five-strong brigade at Ichizen, and over the coming months he hopes to make more of an impact on the existing menu, thereby continuing to attract a regular influx of diners, both in groups and alone. n
Ichizen Noodle Bar, 54 Goodge Street, London W1T 4NA. Tel: 020 7637 0657
