Fujiyama

This corner of Brixton is fast gentrifying into one of the trendiest in London, with a cluster of its best bars, clubs and live venues and some excellent mid-range restaurants. The outstanding place to eat, though, remains this astonishingly cheap Japanese restaurant. It's all beautifully presented in two low-ceilinged rooms, where long tables in polished wood create a convivial atmosphere among the bright young things of South London.

Ignore the Sushi and Bento menus, although both are excellent and very reasonably priced. It is the range of curries, stir fries and soups that have ensured that this place is packed every night. Plates of thick Udon noodles, swimming in a sauce of creamed angel fish, are heaped with barbecued squid, mussels, prawns and octopus. Crispy spring onions sit atop steaming piles of spiced beef and rice. Patrons slurp happily at huge bowls of soup, where each mouthful is a new combination of fish and vegetables.

The sainted Wagamama's aside - and this beats that fine chain for price, design and cooking - this is not a cuisine that is common in the capital. Most Japanese restaurants are focused on sushi and gourmet cookery, ignoring the delicious, healthy budget options that Fujiyama has brought to South London with such flair.