Llanishen, Japanese Restaurant Guide

Propelled to fame by its lockdown-era DIY ramen kits, James Chant’s cult Cardiff noodle brand (which began life as a pop-up) has had a lot of love from the national press since it launched its first bricks-and-mortar venue – taking over a former NatWest bank in Grangetown – in July 2022. Reporters this year weren’t completely convinced by the hype – if you’re “looking for some Japanese calm”, the Zen factor is undermined by the open kitchen where “everyone is hard at it” and service in particular can feel very “disjointed” – but there was consensus when it came to the “very authentic” victuals (and even sceptics admit that “this place will continue to be busy as it’s good food in an area with not too much variety, and it’s different for Cardiff”, too).