All across East Asia, they take the theory of comparative advantage very seriously. That is to say, they specialise. You want chill crab, I know just where. Beef brisket noodles, only one place in town. It's a one-stall, one-dish way of life.
Transpose these cuisines some thousand miles west, and restaurants end up serving a hodge-podge of specialities which, back home, you'd find under entirely separate roofs. Udon, soba, ramen, tempura, yakitori, sushi -- dare any chef claim mastery of even one of these, let alone all?
So let's take it as a sign of London's maturing taste in all things Japanese that this month heralds the opening of Koya, an udon specialist tucked away on Frith Street, Soho.
With its easy-to-miss entrance and canteen-style interior (uneven tiled floors, unvarnished tables, coat hooks lining the walls), this is a restaurant geared to fly right under the radar. Which is just as well, because with food this good, Koya (hopefully) has little need to pander to Soho's trend-watching scene-chasing mob.
Obviously, udon is the name of the game here, dominating the menu in all its glorious permutations and combinations: atsu-atsu (hot udon in hot broth), hiya-atsu (cold udon in hot broth), and hiya-hiya (cold udon served with cold dipping sauce or cold broth to pour over). Alongside good ole plain udon, variations on the theme include the buta miso (pork and miso paste), saba (smoked mackerel and green leaves), and kamo (duck).
The kinoko tsukudani (marinated mushrooms, mostly shiitake and enoki) made for a refreshing side, and the prawn and vegetable tempura stood as a reminder of what all tempura should be: light, non-greasy, and with a good crunch as opposed to oily squish.
As for the udon? Chewy, slurpy, absolutely delicious. Sitting in the bottom of a large bowl, the portion might look skimpy, but I left Koya with the kind of stretched-to-the-limit belly-ache most usually associated with Chinese New Year banquets.
So go. Go again. Go with friends. Take your family. And maybe this time next year, London will have its very own soba specialist too.
No need to worry though - Koya can definitely hold its own.
£24 between two - 2 mains and one side, drinks and service excluded
Koya
49 Frith Street
London
W1D 4SG
www.koya.co.uk

Ooh I'll have to go check it out. Do you know if they have a vegetarian dashi option?
Posted by: Shiruko99 | April 22, 2010 at 11:12 PM
Hi Shiruko - there were some dishes marked as veggie, so is worth asking about the dashi, they sound like a pretty clued-up place.
Have you tried Itadaki Zen, the vegan Japanese place near Kings Cross?
Posted by: JenJen | April 22, 2010 at 11:56 PM
Thanks, I'll definitely check it out next week!
As for Itadaki Zen, I'm trying to convince my friends that vegan Japanese is a good idea. I look forward to a review if you've been?
Posted by: Shiruko99 | April 23, 2010 at 03:18 AM
Very much looking forward to trying this place! Do they make the udon on the premises?
Posted by: Su-Lin | April 23, 2010 at 11:48 AM
Jen, fantastic write-up. You really sold it to me, to the whole world probably! I love udon but hardly ever have it for some bizarre reason, it is not the type of dish most people would go out to eat but I do hope Koya will do well over time. We can never have enough Japanese restaurants in London.
Luiz @ The London Foodie
Posted by: The London Foodie | April 23, 2010 at 11:43 PM
yes, amazing place.. they make thier own udon on the premises (kneeding with thier feet in traditional Sanuki Style, and the dashi is made fresh every day, using specially softened water.. Can't wait to go back,,,
(ps i believe they do make a veggie soup too)
Posted by: FM | April 23, 2010 at 11:49 PM
Shiruko - I quite enjoyed Itadaki Zen - if you go with a big enough group, you can take over the downstairs room. The menu's quite interesting too, lots of dishes I'd not heard of before...
Su-Lin - Yup, I asked the waitress, and as FM said, they do make their own udon. Let me know what you think of the place!
Luiz - How about in Japan - is udon something people tend to go out to eat, or cook at home more? PS: Any news on the next London Cooking Club? =)
FM - Wow, I need to read more about Sanuki udon - sounds like quite a labour of love...
Posted by: JenJen | April 24, 2010 at 01:25 AM
Hand made udon is a definite selling point of this place and I will make a diversion here next time I'm in Soho.
Posted by: Mr Noodles | April 25, 2010 at 07:46 AM
Jen,
Thanks again for your review - I went there yesterday and had the most fantastic udon soup - I opted for one of the simplest combinations (atsu - atsu i.e. hot dashi broth + hot udon noodles) called "Kisami" to appreciate the flavour of the dashi broth without any other flavours, and it was incredibly delicious.
I would also recommend the tempura of cod wrappred in shiso leaves and the "buta kakuni" pork belly slow cooked in cider which was just out of this world.
The udon is made on the premises and the dashi stock from scratch. I spoke to John whom I believe is the Udon man himself, he was kind very attentive helping us to choose the right dishes.
It is my favourite Japanese noodle restaurant in London right now.
Luiz @ The London Foodie
Posted by: The London Foodie | April 25, 2010 at 12:35 PM
Hi there, I concur with you & Luiz! My Japanese friend was in town recently, craving the taste of home. She decided Koya was 'very good...even if in japan'. Great service too, they somehow knew I was veg & gave me ohitashi rather than the usual bonito 'service' starter. A lovely touch!
Anyhow, thank you for the heads-up! Now, where can I find good soba?
Posted by: shiruko99 | May 04, 2010 at 10:35 PM
Koya is fantastic isn't it? I LOVED it, have only been once but am definitely going back! There are so many variations to try :)
Posted by: catty | May 09, 2010 at 09:39 PM