Oodles of noodles - Koya, W1 Soho

What started out as a light gentle stroll during lunchtime ended up in one of the most hyped up, Japanese udon-ya in Soho. I have wanted to try this noodle restaurant for ages but one reason or another, I've never quite managed to. And as if luck were on my side, this renowned 'prepare to wait in the long queue at lunchtime' joint has not a single soul in sight standing by the Noren (Japanese curtain). Perfect! I thought, it's meant to be.

Even without the usual queue by the entrance, the noodles bar is far from empty. Every one of the utilitarian wooden chairs and tables were filled with diners slurping away at their udon. Well, maybe not slurping but there were definitely a sense of excitement and buzz among the lunchers. On either side of the stripped down and understated room were clean, simple wooden menus hung along the entire length of the walls. I was immediately greeted by a waitress, with a tiny hint of a bow.

'For one? Hai! These way please,' and with a smile, I was led straight through to the back of the room where there was a bench and counter overlooking the lively kitchen. I quickly parked myself on the bench and navigated the menu.

The daily specials were inscribed with chalk on a black board by the Maneki Neko, the waving cat. Everything on the specials looked rather tempting but I eventually settled for the grilled horse mackerel(£7.70), one of my favourite fish. And from the wide selections on the main menu, I've gone for the Tempura prawn udon (£9.90).

One good thing about sitting by the kitchen is definitely the chance to ogle at the chef doing their thing and it's no different here. Each station had a specialist chef and there was a harmonious sycronisation as they waltz along preparing each bowl of steaming udon. The broth were prepared and passed over to the next chef; hot, freshly cooked udon was then ladled with the steaming broth and individual toppings.

Within  minutes of ordering, the mackeral was laid before me - a beautifully butterflied amber-coloured fish that had been grilled to perfection; sweet, flakey flesh with a salty soy flavoured and subtle nuttiness from the sesame seeds.

The hot steaming bowl of udon arrived soon after and what a delightful sight. The big, juicy tempura prawn was covered in a batter so light that it look as if it was ready to float out of the bowl any minute. The udon was thick, bouncy with a chewy bite à la al dente and the accompanying broth was deceptively flavoursome and rich.

The meal cost £19.36 with 10% service charge and as for the bottle of filtered water, it's free.  I left sated and happy.


Koya
49 Frith Street
London
W1D 4SG
(Lunch 12-3pm and dinner 5.30pm-10pm)