When I heard that Catford was getting a new Japanese restaurant, there was a palpable buzz in one particular WhatsApp chat. As a resident of SE6 I can confidently say we've been lacking decent eateries, so the news that Taro was opening up in the spot vacated a few months back when Catford Bar & Bottle Shop closed down was met with fervour. Would the 8th opening from the Japanese chain live up to expectations? Would Catford finally get somewhere we could call a decent local? Would the food actually be as good as I ate in Japan?
Having visited recently I can happily confirm the answer to all three is yes. Every time I've walked past it's been busy - always a good start - and an early evening Friday table was no exception. With a huge menu of all the classics plus some more unique dishes, it's popular across the board, with families, kids and dates packing out the little restaurants.
I'd been desperate to try their takoyaki, deep fried octopus balls with tonkotsu sauce, and one bit took me right back to the street food stalls of Osaka. Plates of crisp, grilled chicken gyoza and freshly rolled sushi were a hit, while the piping tonkotsu ramen feels nourishing with every mouthful - I can already tell that's going to become a winter dining favourite. The menu is extensive, with starters and small bites like tempura, yakitoti skewers and chicken karaage, bento boxes, rice and noodles, bento boxes and sushi - there's so much to choose from it's almost too difficult to decided; a surefire way to make sure people come back more than once. A favourite was the utterly delicious, juicy eel, served up with a rice box, but with so much more on the menu to try it's not going to be my last visit. With Asahi on tap, hot and cold sake, refreshing cocktails like the lychee martini and award-winning bottled cocktails from local Catford business Bottle, all produced in south London, there's plenty to
My whole local circle of friends agrees - this is exactly what Catford needed and we hope it's here to stay.
Taro, 2 Catford Broadway, London, SE6
