Budokan prides itself on the quality of its food and its friendly, efficient service – and they have plenty to be proud of on both counts. Both Budokan restaurants have an Asian canteen-style set-up offering a communal eating experience with a sleek, sophisticated edge. Food is made fresh on the premises from ingredients delivered to them daily, meaning everything down to the tuna sashimi tastes like it’s been taken from the sea and put directly onto your plate.

We decided to start our evening in the bar area. Choosing from Budokan’s drink selection was a treat; the wines and lagers offered pair well with the food, and they have a healthy choice of spirits that can be mixed with a expansive menu of soft drinks. I opted for a glass of Oroya sushi wine, and my partner chose a Sapporo lager (£2.95). If you are eating on the hop – maybe pretheatre or concert dining – try the ‘rapid re-fuel’ menu. You can tuck into a sushi, a side and one of the delectable rice or noodles dishes for £7.95 – it’s my favourite way to start a night out. If you have the luxury of an entire evening to enjoy at Budokan, start with a beautifully presented tuna maki (£3.30), and go on to the absolutely wonderful Thai fish cakes (£4.25) with sweet chilli sauce, guaranteed to make your tastebuds tingle. Then, try a classic pad Thai (£7.95) – delicious.

Budokan is appealing on every level and accessible to all, offering a dining experience you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else in town. And if that’s not enough, they also do great takeaway.