I brought my mother out to Miyama for dinner on a Wednesday evening on 9 April 2014 as it had been recommended by a friend. I made the reservation online the day before and it was straight-forward and fuss-free.

The restaurant itself is tucked away along this small narrow road (Godliman Street), accessible either through where Grange St Paul’s hotel is on one end, or you could walk up a flight of stairs on the other end that leads out to St Paul's Cathedral. It is right opposite the side of a British restaurant/pub called The Centre Page.

The restaurant itself is not located at ground level but below ground, so you have to climb down a short flight of stairs.

As me and my mother have small appetites, we ordered one teppanyaki set (£23) to share. It came with a small salad bowl and sashimi as starters, a main course (we choose the option of Scottish Salmon) with a bowl of sticky rice and ice-cream dessert. We also ordered side-dishes including one chawan mushi (steamed egg), one grilled aubergine topped with sweet soybean paste and one clear soup with fish and vegetables.

The items are slightly more pricey than the average Japanese restaurant. For what I ordered, the total bill came to £43.

We were seated right at the iron griddle. Perhaps because it was a weekday night that we visited, the restaurant was pleasantly not crowded.

The teppanyaki meal did not disappoint. Two thick slabs of salmon were grilled right in front of us and they were very fresh. The portion would just be right for an average-sized chap, not too small nor too huge. As for the rest of the items, I really enjoyed the grilled aubergine. The clear soup also tasted just right for me, not too salty nor too bland.

On the other hand, the chawan mushi was quite disappointing for the price (of £5.50) because it tasted bland (and this is considering that both my mother and I do not generally like too much seasoning in our food)

The service was excellent, the waitress was very attentive to both my mother and I throughout our meal. They gave us sharing plates as they understood that my mother and I were sharing. The waitress even took the effort to provide 2 spoons when she served the single service of ice-cream dessert without me asking for it. Because of that, I was very happy to top up the bill with an extra tip to show my appreciation.

Lastly, I have to say even though we were seat right by the iron griddle, the ventilation in the restaurant was very good, because my mother and I did not smell of cooked food (you know how sometimes your hair and clothing would smell of cooked food after being near the kitchen). However, it might be also because the chef only prepared 2 sets of teppankanyi so there weren't much cooking to begin with.

Nonetheless, for the overall food quality (pity about the chawan mushi) and the excellent service, it was money well spent.

OK- lets be clear . The food here is very good. Scallops were fantastic and likwise the steak. Set menus are very good value given what you get.

However... you shouldnt be expected to sit at the counter waiting for an hour before anyone cooks anything. Similarly they couldnt make us any sushi as they were missing a chef.
Also worth mentioning that the decor is tired, but thats not what you go for.

Be patient and you'll get it, expect something swanky and you're in for a let down

We visited the restaurant on a Friday evening and had Teppenyaki.

The staff were friendly and very helpful, but what made the restaurant stand out was the food.
It cost about £45 per head, so not the cheapest but the food was excellent so it really was good value.

This restaurant never disappoints. The quality of the sushi is exceptional. It's great to sit at the sushi counter and watch it being made in front of you. I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys sushi or wants to try it. I've tried a lot of sushi restaurants in London and not found one to match it.

Get there early on weekdays and take advantage of their early bird menu to get the best value.

Me and my husband booked a table last minute for teppanyaki not knowing what to expect and what a fantastic surprise we had. It's off the beaten track was not busy and the service was brilliant and the food was divine could not have asked for more highly recommend go check it out!