Taro, NW3 6DT
- (020) 7794 0190
- 293 Finchley Road (map of this place)
- NW3 6DT
- 7 days a week
- Nearest Tube station: Finchley Road
Small and stylish restaurant about 2 minutes walk from Finchley Road and Frognall mainline station and 5 minutes walk from Finchley Road tube. It's relatively inexpensive - though not quite at New Culture Revolution levels - and the food is great quality.
The set meals are a particularly good deal; between £15 and £18 for a meal comprising miso, deep fried tofu, pickles, chicken satay, your choice of main course (sushi, sashimi, teryaki and various other nice things) and icecream. For an extra pound, you can have chestnut or green tea ice cream, rather than neopolitan - something that's advisable as the chestnut ice cream in particular is gorgeous.
The portions are perfectly sized so that you don't feel overly-bloated at the end of the meal. While the sushi and sashimi can take a while to turn up, it's only because they are freshly made, so it's worth the wait. There are lots of veggie options (including fantastic gyoza) and a barbecue menu for devout carnivores, so people who aren't into fish have got plenty to choose from.
The staff are friendly, even when you're the last people in there and it's close to closing time. However, as with many Japanese restaurants, they don't accept tips.
Taro is open 7 days per week but booking is advisable, particularly at weekends.