Nathan’s just told me:
Just popped into Zaibatsu on Trafalgar Road on the way home from the Picture House tonight to find out from the owner that it is currently ranked as the No.2 restaurant in London on Tripavisor!! Brilliant! He said he’s getting phone calls from all over the world booking tables months in advance. Made my evening to hear they are doing so well.
Now, I confess that I haven’t actually been to Zaibatsu since it was Zin. I’m not a huge fan of Japanese food and haven’t, for various reasons, been eating out at all recently. So I’m asking you guys – is this really as good as the reviewers on Tripadvisor say?
‘Cause if it is, that’s amazing. I know there are ways to skew sites like this, but this just doesn’t look like the sort of place that would put that much effort into an interenet campaign. I do note a fair few of the reviewers have only posted one review on Tripadvisor, which makes the Phantom radar twitch a little, but that could be down to them having had one good experience and wanting to share it.
It certainly shows the might of Tripadvisor – though of course Tripadvisor can give and Tripadvisor can take away. Sounds like the owners of Zaibatsu have got a good thing going and if they’re wise, they’ll keep that recipe – and the quality – as it is – a hidden jewel.
No one’s going to give it any prizes for its looks (sorry I have photos somewhere but I’m darned if I can find them this morning) but maybe that’s its charm – the excellent food comes as a surprise. Some of the most exciting places I’ve eaten in the world have been, frankly, scruffy.
Wouldn’t it be nice if it made the other places on Traf Road pull up their culinary socks?
