Saisho Ramen

• Areeiro (Linha Verde)
• €
• Av. João XXI 19, 1000-298 Lisboa

We've spoken before of the wonderful comfort food qualities of Japanese food. Sweet and sticky sauces, warm fatty broths and abundant rice and noodles are such popular items that you can get them to accompany everything from your McNuggies to your student-style kettle based cooking. Never one to miss up such an opportunity, one of us took a leisurely lunchtime stroll up the road to see what Saisho Ramen would offer on a gloriously sunny September day, based on nothing more than the strength of a photo of its garden. The Portuguese are sensible people and try to avoid sitting in the sun to eat. This naturally doesn't sit with our idiotic British desire to burn in any hot climate, so Saisho's tempting photography had me hooked.

Garden aside, internet browsing had also informed me that Saisho serves up Karaage, and I've yet to ever find myself regretting any travel for fried chicken in this world.

Succulent chunks of chicken breast and thigh, in a crispy batter which points to the use of corn starch, aka the correct way, and clearly double fried. I say clearly because the bites could have been left to drip before dumping on the plate to avoid exposing the puddle of oil that was exposed once they were eaten. Of course, the brilliance of fried chicken is its ability to reduce shame to zero after eating due to wholesale deliciousness. The accompanying mayo tasted more like lime juice with mayo mixed in rather than the other way around, but was a good complement to all the luxury of deep fried content.

For the main bowl I opted for the sweeter chicken teriyaki rice bowl, accompanied with an almost but not quite hard boiled egg, mushrooms, bean sprouts and a token slice of daikon for colour. A solid dish, sweet and sticky in the right places with all that comfort from the fluffy rice. I clearly over-ordered and couldn't finish the hearty portion. No one has ever complained from being given too much food in a restaurant.

With a bottle of water to counter-act the hot day, the whole meal just nudged over the single € level we measure affordability at, so scrap the starter and you're waddling out nice and full without having hit the wallet too hard. I'll be back again, if just to enjoy the environment and crunch.

Don’t forget to order: A table in the garden when you arrive.