Miyako

We visited Miyako yesterday evening, on a Thursday, as a group of four friends, for a long-awaited get-together. The restaurant is nestled away in the exterior of the chic Andaz hotel on Liverpool Street, and therefore serves as a calm oasis away from the hustle and bustle of the city workers and commuters outside the station. This was my second visit to Miyako and it certainly won’t be my last. The restaurant itself is a smart but intimate setting, with stylish but not overly formal dark wood furniture, authentic chopsticks and clay soy sauce jugs, and minimalist Japanese influenced décor. The Wagasi umbrellas lining the ceiling add to the overall aesthetic and ambience, whilst helping the acoustics, and preventing the sound levels getting too high when the restaurant is full. We were able to have a good catch-up over dinner, which can often be a struggle in similarly busy restaurants with lots of talkative diners. The dining space is fairly compact, but it didn’t feel too cramped, nor did it feel like we were sitting on top of our fellow diners. The staff are incredibly friendly and attentive, whilst the menu has an extensive selection of authentic Japanese dishes, including a vast array of high-quality, sashimi grade fresh seafood. The selection is so impressive, in fact, that it was difficult to decide what to order for the table. We ideally wanted to order one of everything, but managed some restraint, so as not to get too carried away. The staff were happy to provide clear explanations of particular dishes and gave some helpful recommendations on request. We opted for prawn gyoza, tender broccoli and sesame dressing, fried aubergine with miso paste, spicy tuna maki, spicy salmon uramaki, mixed sashimi, and crunchy sanshyoku roll with seared salmon, tuna, seabass, avocado, tobikko and spicy sauce. The prawn gyoza were perfectly cooked and filled with an abundance of fresh prawn. The tender broccoli and sesame dressing were also very fresh and flavorful. The fried aubergine with miso paste was a unique and interesting dish, with a sweet and savory flavor profile helping to lift the aubergine to another level. The mixed sashimi and sushi rolls were also of the highest quality and served with generous portions of wasabi and pickled ginger. I can say that the showstopper was definitely the crunchy sanshyoku roll. So good, in fact, that we decided to order a second (and could possibly have even ordered more if we weren’t so full by the end). The delicately seared salmon, tuna, seabass and avocado works incredibly well with the creamy but perfectly spiced mayonnaise style sauce and the umami notes from the tobikko (flying fish roe), with added crunch from the tempura strands, topped with micro-leaves and edible flowers. Other menu recommendations include the hot pot with prawns, scallops, squid, octopus, blue crab, tofu, and vegetables. I’d also recommend the tuna tataki with truffle oil and the crispy chicken and ginger wakadori karaage, but we will need to save that for our next visit. We paired the food with a deliciously, crisp New Zealand sauvignon blanc (£39 per bottle), which worked perfectly with the seafood. They have a vast array of signature Japanese-influenced cocktails on offer too, as well as a wide range of hot and cold saki, but we had already enjoyed a couple of amazing negronis in the neighboring Rake’s cocktail bar (also part of the Andaz Hotel) so decided to just stick to wine with the meal. We had the most impeccable experience. The food, service, and atmosphere were all absolutely spot-on. I woke up dreaming about that sanshyoku roll this morning, so the only thing to worry about now is how long I’ll have to wait for my next visit!! I’d advise booking ahead, although walk-ins are possible, it can get fairly busy in the evenings and lunchtimes during the week. If you’re in the Liverpool Street area and you’re looking for authentic, high-quality Japanese food in an elegant, calm and friendly setting, I’d certainly recommend Miyako every time.

Food is decent but not anything special. The service is efficient and non-obtrusive. Location good for a quick bite near Liverpool Street station. The restaurant is more canteen style with decor and atmosphere to match but with hotel prices. Especially the drinks. It is attached to a hotel so that could be why. Unlikely to return unless no other option in the same location.

I have been passing this restaurant everyday on my way to work and was keen to try it. The service is excellent, the sushi is very tasty and fresh. The quality is better than the regular takeaways but not outstanding, all in all a pleasant quick dinner. We were pretty hungry so I forgot to take a picture of the salmon and tuna roll.

I went for lunch with a friend and the general experience was amazing! The place looked great inside. The food was superb, lovely presentation and the quality was astonishing. If you are looking for the real Japanese food experience, this is the right place. The members of the staff who attended us, Abir and Agata,they were simply great, very friendly, helpful and attentive. They made sure that everything was perfect; they also explained to us the menu and made some recommendations that didn't disappoint us at all. I will definitely be coming back, thank you guys!