The Japanese Canteen

Japanese Canteen is just okay in my book.
None of the dishes are particularly memorable, although I will give the place kudos for having the mixed lentils and wild rice add-​on which makes every meal here feel healthier than it usually is.
The staff here are neither friendly nor eager. Occasionally, a few of them will zip back and forth behind the service counter when you’re standing in front of the cash till, waiting to be served, and not one of them will offer a greeting, tell you that someone is on the way or even tell the person who’s meant to be taking orders that someone is waiting.
The ambience is exactly what you would expect for a place with the word «Canteen» in the name — all sharing tables and wooden benches, with cutlery placed in pots on the tables.
There are a few good points to this place though. It’s fairly quick. Not faster than the pizza place next door, but, still reliably quick. The bento box — which is the only section I order from when I am here — is of a decent size, so a good-​enough option if you need it.

Overpriced restaurant with appauling service from staff who seem overworked. I ordered a large beef bulgogi meal, which was overpriced and very sparse on meat content. When I told the staff about this, they said that since 10 minutes had passed since I placed my order and that they could not take my meal back. When I escalated my case to the manager, she advised that there was nothing that she could do apart from suggest that I complain online (fair enough).
This place will always have customers, driven by the strength of its location and not by any means, its negligent management and attitude towards customers. Avoid this place at all costs (especially the £10 bulgogi sans beef)

Japanese food doesn’t really get the credit it deserves, except for sushi that is. I however absolutely love a good chicken katsu curry and I never miss a chance to have one when I can. That’s why I really like visiting the Japanese Canteen. The décor is simple, as you would expect in a canteen, but the food is great! I have tried a few of their dishes so far and, while they are all quite good, it is definitely the katsu curry that’s the star for me. I must say that I can probably eat two of those bowls if I am really hungry and I have seen guys do that as well so you may need to get more food. I guess that’s why Japanese people are so thin. I think the food is too good to resist though.

See? Wagamama does suck.
Grabbing a quick Japanese bite needn’t be a bland (Wagamama) nor sterile (Itsu) experience.
In JC there’s a whole wall of katsu, noodles and rice to chose from. That the menu leans Korean does keep things interesting.

Went here for a quick dinner. I got the Korean Fried Chicken. The meal itself came out pretty timely and was decent.
It was pretty spicy (which I appreciate) but the flavor didn’t seem to really fit the food. Overall a mediocre meal for a decent price (around £6).

Just had Ramen takeaway from this place. Such ramen is now in the trashcan. I feel disgusted. My piss is better. Never again. This place robbed me of both nourishment and seven pounds.

Wagamama’s…Move over!!! I am thrilled to have discovered the Japanese canteen! The chicken katsu curry was more than just edible! It was stunning! I got a coke and miso soup too and it was under a tenner! UNBELIEVABLE value!

This place has exactly the type of food I love, so am I always excited when I am ordering. However, the execution is not amazing. It’s definitely not bad, but just not quite as good as it should be. Sushi is slightly better than you will get at Wasabi or Abokado. The won-​ton dumplings were somehow lacking. And the spicy-​rice bowl is actually pretty bad. I will probably be back in search of a menu item they do right, but I will have to remember to temper my expectations.

I have been on a Japanese food tip for a while so I popped into this place because it’s not too far from where I work.
What to say… er… it’s really underwhelming. The tonkotsu ramen is shoyu ramen. I think they maybe put that option on the menu because it’s popular. Chicken katsu was fairly poor. Sushi choice was poor, quality was average and it was hugely overpriced.
What’s bibimbap doing in a Japanese canteen?! Especially with such a limited menu, I can’t figure it out. It’s like it’s trying to be master of all things and fails all of them. I won’t rush back, the food was pretty bad for the prices being charged, I waited about 12 minutes for ramen. Ramen. Hot brine over bad noodles.
I won’t rush back… interestingly there are a few other places nearby you’d be better off at. If you were to walk a little further to Bishopsgate I’m pretty sure the Wasabi or Itsu can do better. Round the corner Habibi Sushi can’t be beaten. On Petticoat Lane there is a Japanese food truck. Further up Middlesex Street is Alta– THEY make good ramen. Save yourself. Go elsewhere.
The only good thing is the décor. They have gone to great lengths to make this pretty, the cast iron teapots and big wide bowls are fantastic. It’s a shame that the food is not. It’s like… well yes, a canteen. But like some depressing workplace canteen rather than what it wants to be.

I had the £5.95 Chicken Katsu curry, I was hungry, it was edible, there’s not an awful lot more to say about the food. Japanika do indeed do it better.
The décor was very swish in a modern but slightly warmer than Wagamama way.
This is not a venue, but if you are hungry on Middlesex Street it will do.

There are two types of so-​called ‘Japanese’ restaurants: (i) they know what they are preparing; and (ii) they have no idea about the dishes that they prepare. This canteen is the former. Of course, the cooking staff are not Japanese but they seem to be fond of JP food in general and have some good practice that is common in Japan. Pricewise, quite OK for the food! Very quick (a second or two slower than in Japan) and what I like the most is that there are always a few staff working for cleanness and tidying up (but without bothering guest eating). I do recommend this place not only for students but business people and others who would like to try simple, decent and popular lunch dishes. Just I want to add: don’t order noodle dishes. they are not up to mark according to the Japanese standard (probably barely acceptable here).

Oh my word. My ratings for Japanika have just gone up significantly. This (The Japanes Canteen) is the worst food I have had in a long time. Service was OK. I ate two mouthfulls of the chicken and rice and was nearly sick. I threw the rest away and then felt quite ill. I had Chicken Breast Katsu Curry. One disgusting and stodgy mess. They need to go to Japanika or other Japanese places to see how it should be done. Some other places I have reviewed have been given one star and the food has never been as bad as this so it isn’t fair to give this place one star too. It deserves zero or negative stars. Ughh.

I recently tried this branch of the Japanese Canteen; after a disappointing meal in one of the other branches, my curiosity was piqued by the additional menu items offered at the Middlesex Street branch.
Instead of ordering one large main I had several starters: the lettuce wrap with belly pork; fried octopus balls with oconomiyaki sauce & mayo; sweet miso aubergine; and (of course) kimchi, although they choose to spell it kimchee, and wrongly claim that it is pickled cabbage (it’s fermented, not pickled).
I found everything to be quite tasty although the kimchi was lacking flavour but to be fair it was fairly fresh and I prefer the heavily fermented version.
The octopus balls were my favourite; moreish and crispy on the outside with a very soft filling, this could very well become a new comfort food of mine.
This branch is open daily until 10pm and IMO not the worst option for a quick bite to eat, although I can only speak for the starters. The main dish I had at the other branch was horrid and I have yet to try a main at this branch.