Engawa Soho 

I often dream about Japan, sitting on a tatami floor, cross-legged on the floor with a wooden Japanese bento box spread across the table. Since I can’t travel there anytime soon, you can save the 5,948 miles trip to a location in Soho, London for the experience. 

Location 

Engawa Japanese restaurant is located in the heart of Picadilly Circus, tucked away in a little by Ham Courtyard. The intimate dining room is petite and covers 29 seats, and tall bar stools that oversee the Ham Yard Hotel. The overall theme, interior inside is dark and moody.  

You won’t be far from the open kitchen for all to theatre action of your food being prepared by the chefs.  

Two-tier bento box 

For a limited time only, you can get the two-tiered Hakozen Bento box for £25 with a 50% discount usual price is £50. To redeem this offer you must make a booking online for lunchtime only. 

A wooden box lands on the table, what’s inside is a complete surprise since the bento box is made up of miniature dishes a variety of cooked Japanese Wagyu, seasonal vegetables, fresh fish sashimi and sushi served with vegetables miso soup. 

The warm-up on the first-tier box starts with a miniature cup of miso soup, and deep-fried sesame tofu, dashi, sweetcorn dish.  

When you finished the second tier, the wooden box is lifted and the next 14 dishes are revealed. A beautiful delight of small morsels is carefully presented in each slot of the box. There’s no order of what dish to eat, but to follow whatever you feel at the time. 

From top left to right: Nikujaga a Japanese stew with wagyu beef, karaage edamame, dashimaki a Japanese omelette, salmon and sea bass nigiri sushi, mixed fish tartare.  

Second row from left to right: Beetroot and potato salad, salmon and tuna sashimi, tuna and yellowtail nigiri sushi, vegetable tempura.  

Third row from left to right: seaweed salad, a savoury mochi, two vegetable rolls one deep-fried fish roll, pickles and soy sauce. 

The waitress was euthanasic, attentive, and remembered all 14 dishes off by heart. It’s good to know the sencha green is refillable here and staff will refill your cup throughout your dining time. 

Overall 

A few of the dishes stood out, deep-fried fish roll with bubbled cracker texture, mixed fish tartare, savoury mochi, karaage edamame. Sushi is pretty decent but had better quality elsewhere. I personally would not pay the full price of £50 tag for this bento box, but think £25 is great to sample the food at Engawa.  

The low-down 

Est. 2015 by the Salt group.  

Limited offer: 14 Assorted Selection Two-Tiered Hakozen Bento Box £25 (50% OFF)  

*This offer is only available for LUNCH time and ONLINE BOOKING 

“Early Bird Offer” 

Wednesday from 17:30 to 18:00 

20% OFF your total bill 

* This offer is only available for ONLINE booking 

Price: Expensive £££ 

Nearest Station: Leicester Square, Picadilly Circus 

For more information 

For more information visit Engawa website 

2 Ham Yard Unit 4, London W1D 7DT England