July 29, 2007 by RWAppleWannabe Every month, on the last Friday of the month, the Victoria & Albert museum is open until 10 pm and hosts live music and some type of themed event. When Jon and I first moved to London, our corporate flat was a block from the South Kensington tube station, and I had a lot of free time on my hands. So, no surprise that I dropped by the (free) V&A museum pretty often. But since we’ve moved to Islington, I’ve been back to the V&A maybe twice at most, which is too bad because the V&A is uniquely eclectic in today’s world of highly-specialized major museums. It’s a jumble in there, united only by a theme of “design.” Kimonos and medieval triptychs just down the hall from Italian Renaissance sculptures. That sort of thing. Well, this past Friday, Jon and I decided to check out July’s “Friday Late” theme named “The 2007 Village Fete,” which took place outdoors in the V&A’s gorgeous John Madejski Garden. The idea is to enjoy some mild summer weather with a happy crowd while playing “village fair games” with a twist.

First, we waited on an enormous ticket line for over an hour. We’d thought about giving up, but like the sheep we are, we reasoned that if the line was this long, it must be good. I amused myself by taking photos of people standing on line. Much as I love the V&A Great Hall with its super-pretty-super-phallic Chihuly sculpture (photo at top), I was unamused by the hapless ticket people at the main desk. Five people at the desk and they can’t manage to figure out an efficient system to process ticket sales. Once in the Garden, we were disappointed (though not surprised) that it started to rain. Too bad, because some of the games looked like fun. There was, for example, the “Inflate a Mate” stall, where you drew a picture of your friend on a balloon and then inflated it with helium. Or the British party staple, the tombola.So we gamely tried to have fun (after all, we’d waited on that huge line to get in, right?), but the rain and cold were too much. Plus, we were hungry.

But where to eat in South Kensington that’s not a big chain or expensive-and-crappy?sushi train games online Cue the Kulu Kulu conveyor belt sushi place near the South Ken station.how to keep sushi fish freshUsually, for our conveyor-belt sushi fix, Jon and I end up at Itsu or Yo! sushi roll maker videoSushi, and even at those places, we never walk out without spending £40 together. sushi grade fish southern californiaBut it turns out Kulu Kulu is really cheap. you me sushi voucher code

All the dishes passing by on the conveyor belt are priced between £1.80 and £3, which I contrast with Itsu or Yo!’running sushi online games prices that can hit £6 per plate.free online game sushi go round There isn’t much variety offered, and the sushi chef can barely be bothered to tightly roll and slice the maki, but for honkin’ huge and fresh pieces of salmon, tuna and agedashi tofu, you can’t pay more than £3 per dish you pull off the conveyor belt. So even though the dining room at Kulu Kulu’s South Kensington location is small and dated, the green tea is free, and we left with tummies full and just £30 poorer. I have to note that the threesome sitting to our right appeared to be a budget-conscious group of high-schoolers who repeatedly asked the servers how much each dish on the conveyor belt was.

Of course, this being the UK, this same group didn’t think twice about ordering several bottles of wine despite avoiding any £3 dish like the plague. I thought that was entertaining, and I was glad we left before their drinking really got under way. Imagine a place where authentic and high quality Japanese Izakaya style cuisine is served in an environment with incredible interior design representing the five elements of Japanese philosophy: Fire, water, earth, wind and metal… You have just imagined Murakami. Thankfully such a place exists beyond your imagination! Located in St. Martin’s Lane, at the heart of the world-famous West End, Murakami is the ideal place for a pre-show bite to eat or a restorative meal following a long, hard day shopping up a storm in Central London. Opening TimesWe are open every dayMonday12:00noon – 3:00pm / 5:00pm – 11:30pmTuesday12:00noon – 3:00pm / 5:00pm – 11:30pmWednesday12:00noon – 3:00pm / 5:00pm – 12:00midnightThursday12:00noon – 3:00pm / 5:00pm – 12:00midnightFriday12:00noon – 3:00pm / 5:00pm – 12:00midnightSaturday12:00noon – 12:00midnightSunday12:00noon – 11:00pm

For the uninitiated – and we are certain that you will want to learn more – Izakaya is the name of a style of Japanese eating establishment in which an assortment of delicious delicacies are served to accompany the finest Japanese beers, lagers, wine and whiskey… Not to mention house sake! And it is this unique eating experience that Murakami is bringing to London. Dishes include fresh and reinvigorating salads, succulent sushi, Japanese-style tapas and their very own, extra-special Murakami Rolls. With Izakaya dining, food can be enjoyed quickly and conveniently, not to mention casually! However, Murakami can also cater for more extravagant meals, making it the ideal location for a get-together or celebration. And best of all, this fine food and drink from the Land of the Rising Sun is not only affordable, but also matches the quality of the very best Japanese restaurants in London. But you could be forgiven for thinking that you were no longer in London… With its evocative interior, Murakami certainly creates a strong Japanese vibe.