Kushi-Ya

Most izakaya restaurants in Japan are in tucked-away locations within the city, and Kushi-Ya, which moved to a new address in 2024, has found its own home along a gated walkway off a side-street in the centre of Nottingham. Blond wood and dark-blue tiles are lightened by big windows, and there's an outdoor terrace too – making the most of the East Midlands sunshine. A quotient of tables is kept free for those who arrive on spec, although it's walk-ins only for sub-£20 lunches.

The name means ‘skewer-shop’, and a range of speared items forms the centrepiece of the menu: chicken tsukune with egg yolk and beef with black garlic mustard were both hugely pleasing at our visit. Also look to the specials, where more unusual offerings such as duck hearts are often to be had. Before those appear, do not miss the prawn toasts.We cannot stress this enough. Little barrels of toast are piped full of the prawn filling and served with furikake and savoury mayo. You'll never forget them. A plate of excellent pickles sharpens the appetite in every sense, with red radish and daikon, mushrooms and cucumber, all prickling with acidity. Our special of mackerel crudo with shiso and high-grade wasabi gained from the intensely savoury mayo in which it was bound.

A small-plates selection encompasses a clever Japanese/Korean prawn cocktail as well as soy-braised pork shoulder with condiments for the meatily inclined. Finish with the supremely well-balanced pairing of black-sugar parfait with a charred sesame-seed crisp or the sweet-and-sour combination of matcha cheesecake and lime meringue. A concise drinks list includes cups and cans of sake, Koshu wine, Japanese whiskies and an exciting cocktail range. Anyone for a gochujang Old-Fashioned (whisky, pineapple rum and gochujang-honey syrup)?