Zen Washoku

Zen is a little hole in the wall restaurant in the Nag Head market. If you can find it, you should try their sushi. I had the salmon sushi plate — the salmon rolls sold out, so the chef prepared an off menu salmon sushi for me. This sushi was delicious with 3 different kinds of salmon pieces in 1. I would definitely recommend it!

Woah. This isn’t the kind of thing I expect to find in Holloway!
I wanted to take some sushi home to my family (they all live out in the countryside, so don’t normally have access to yummy sushi-​quality fish.) I called as soon as Zen washoku opened (10:30am), and put in an order for a giant pile of sushi… and then took it north on the train from Finsbury park.
I bought the large nigiri sets, so got to try every type of sushi: Salmon, mackerel, inari, sweet prawn, boiled prawn, egg and squid. The rice was perfect, and I think I managed to surprise my mum with how much better sushi tastes when it is hand-​made, rather than created for a supermarket.
Less good:
— I wasn’t super impressed with the egg or the squid nigiri but everything else was gorgeous, and amazing value, so I am 5-​staring this anyway.
**I had a good chat to the chef, who speaks super Kansai-​ben Japanese, but he can speak Mandarin or English too, so chose a language and go and visit him!!**

This is a fabulous little Japanese restaurant! They mean it when they say ‘restaurant quality for street food prices.’ I got the salmon teriyaki (see pictures) and my friend got the udon and we were both delighted. Don’t be put off by the location!

Amazing sushi! Zen, who runs it, is a very charming man and makes excellent sushi. I plan to go back regularly!

Wow! Have you ever been in situation that you found a gem never want to tell anyone? :) Well, I have been.
Its inside the Holloway Nags Head Market, small market hut. We found this place last summer around September and been very lazy to write a review!
First of all the owners are so welcoming. When they are serving the food they also tell you the story behind it and how to consume it. When we ordered couple of hand rolls, they straight away served each one and told us to eat immediately. I was told about their cold aubergine salad however, whenever I visit they ran out of it. Already famous though. They prepare the sushi rice over night. So on many occasions (after 5pm onwards) they have been sold out sushi like first come first serve. Arrange your visit accordingly.
They don’t serve tuna as its not unsustainable. I like the way they do and respect the idea.
They have 3 seats in front of the bar when it gets busy they use to accommodate you in the opposite i guess Colombian restaurant. However, they have just launched their small room opposite of the restaurant with 2 tables.
I would definitely recommend you to try this small sweet sushi place for inexpensive, quality sushi.

What a way to begin 2016. This might just be my new favourite Japanese spot in the Holloway area.
We sat in a quaint little sitting room off the side of the market and had a delicious lunch for two. The missus had some nigiri and a teriyaki bento, both of which went down a treat. The miso soup (which in most restaurants is usually bland) was flavoursome — my girlfriend finished the entire bowl in addition to her bento.
I opted for the the Chicken Donburi which was also excellent and tender.
We had the meal over cups of Genmai tea which turned out to be the perfect palette cleanser and we couldn’t leave without trying dessert. And in keeping with the theme of this review, the red bean/​matcha pancakes we ordered were incredible.
Cannot wait to return. Couldn’t recommend Zen Washoku enough!