We had a delicious lunch earlier the week at Koya Japanese Restaurant in the City of London. Pre-COVID we couldn’t manage to get a table at this popular Udon Noodle Bar. Now that the financial bods are working from home, we have the city eateries pretty much to ourselves. If you are looking for Japanese restaurants near Cannon Street Station or the best places to eat in EC4, try Koya Japanese Restaurant.
“Slurp on hearty Udon Noodles, let the Tempura batter melt in your mouth and fill up on satisfying Donburi Rice Bowls at Koya,” Homegirl London.
Koya Japanese Restaurant Menu
The menu is the same during the day and evening. They have enough dishes to cater for meat eaters, fish fans, vegans and vegetarians. We started with a few small plates. Homeboy wanted the Homemade Pickles which he said were outstanding. The Marinated Mushrooms were delicious, and the portion size was ample to share.
Pickles
The other dish we tried was Vegetable Tempura which is my benchmark for a Japanese Restaurant. I am pleased to report that the Vegetable Tempura at Koya was ten out of ten with perfect batter and a good variety of veg. Other starters included Poached Egg in Chilli Dashi, Mixed Seaweed Salad, Tempura Vegetable Chips and Braised Pork Belly with Cider.
Marinated Mushrooms
Homeboy ordered a steaming bowl of Saba which is Smoked Mackerel with Green Leaves and Spring Onion. It does give you a runny nose because it is so hot but tastes wholesome and satisfying. Other Hot Udon bowls feature Chicken, Beef or Duck with Spring Onions and the Lamb Mince with Cumin Miso and Herbs. The Mixed Seaweed with fourteen different types of seaweed sounded interesting. I didn’t know there were so many types of seaweed! If it’s a hot day, you may prefer to eat the Cold Udon options instead.
Vegetable Tempura
I tried the Seasonal Vegetable and Curry Rice Donburi Bowl. It was absolutely delicious with perfectly cooked premium vegetables. The curry sauce was spot on. Other Donburi Rice Bowls include Stewed Thinly Sliced Beef, Vegetable Tempura, Prawn Tempura, Chicken and a Breaded Aged Pork Loin with Egg.
Seasonal Vegetable and Curry Rice Donburi Bowl
Udon Noodle dishes cost £7.20-13.80, Donburi is £11.20-15.90, and Small Plates are £2.40-14.20. It’s not a cheap Japanese restaurant, but I thought the price points were reasonable for the meal I ate. Besides, Homeboy paid, so that was great for me!
Koya Japanese Restaurant Bloomberg Arcade Information
Restaurant Exterior
To find out more about the restaurant, go to the Koya Restaurant Website. The address is 10-12 Bloomberg Arcade, London EC4N 8AR. The nearest station is Cannon Street, and it’s not far from Bank Station. Please check the restaurant for current opening times. The other restaurant location is in Soho on Frith Street. Both restaurants provide food delivery and a click and collect service. The City of London restaurant has seats outside on a pedestrianised street, so it’s a nice place to hang out and relax, although there are no smoking signs. The staff were amiable and helpful. I’d definitely go back and eat at this restaurant again.
Author: Homegirl London. Photographs: Homegirl London.
