Tosa

I had heard great things about Tosa and was happy these were confirmed. Its a lovely little Japanese grill in between Ravenscourt Park and Stanford Brook so definitely one of those places the locals tend to frequent. I went with a vegetarian so was worried she wouldnt have a decent enough selection – but the recommendations i had heard had mentioned there was a wide variety for carnivores and veggies alike. We decided on the vegetable tempura – though i additionally had 3 skewers of the pork belly, loin and chicken. All were fresh and delicious – everything i love about Japanese food. I also had the asparagus (which was grilled) and this was fantastic and almost converted me to veggies! My friend had the sushi to follow and enjoyed all of this too. I love the way you can try out so many dishes so its never boring. Quantitywise – my three skewers were just not enough and id say a normal hungry person could eat at least 6+ (without anything to follow) so ensure you order more than less as it gets busier later and you may not be able to get your order in. The pricing for these range from £1-£3 a skewer but you quickly end up taking this for granted and overdoing it! In the end, my bill was £60 for two though we were ‘nicely’ full by the end of our meal. Service was ok – initially very good but it got very busy (on a Monday night) and orders were forgotten and i had to give a few gentle reminders which was a bit frustrating. I think if this can be polished up – especially given its quite a small place – it would be near perfect.

I lived in Japan for several years, speak the language and I am a Japanese food fan . Tosa is owned by two Croatian brothers who were trained for over 15 years at a Japanese restaurant in Finchley. Their dedication to authenticity is commendable . Their wives are Japanese and Chinese, you see them helping out, it is a family enterprise. I was one of their first fan and client and continue to support them regularly because I want them to flourish and so I can have my Japanese fix…since I am a Japanopile … My kids love their entire menu..Their lunch menu is excellent value for money. Cooked with fresh ingredients to perfection. Yakitori is perfectly grilled and not overdone with the sweet sauce which most of the other Japanese restaurants tend to do.. Their dashi broth used in all their dishes are light, and full flavoured , you can taste the richness of the tuna flakes ..well balanced … Try their agedashi toufu..a real test whether they could balance the soft delicate texture of the toufu and crispy light batter dipped in delicious dashi sauce garnished with ginger and spring onion …a dish I could never master and hence a must order everytime I am there… Those who have never tried Japanese cuisine , Tosa is going to be the best benchmark for you …it never fails to deliver ..the attention to detail and the after taste lingering after the meal is usually a satisfied smile and knowing I could come back anytime..one of the few Japanese restaurants opened all week …long may they continue to be my second kitchen…

The restaurant is delicate in it's presentation from outside and within, and traditional Japanese table laying ensures you feel the authenticity of the place. Serving staff are patient and helpful, assisting us with ordering a range of dishes as a starter and providing a repeat order of the t-bone steak, which is highly recommmended. The range of dishes is excellent, from tempura and sushi to sesame green beans and incredible circles of pork on a stick. The flavour of everything was excellent. Nice selection of wines (rose was good) and Japanese beers as well as spirits including saki. Overall I would say the service is great and the food is worth the journey!! Kate, Orpington.