Marugame (High Street Kensington) - Japanese Udon Noodles & Tempura (丸亀製麺)

You're ducking into Kensington Arcade off the High Street and suddenly the smell hits you—that distinctive broth-and-frying-oil combo that means you've found something legit. Marugame does the essentials brilliantly: thick, springy udon noodles they're making in-house, poured into bowls of genuinely flavourful broth that tastes like someone's actually bothered. The tempura is the real pull though—light, crispy, not greasy, the kind of thing that makes you question every soggy battered prawn you've had in London before. It's quick-service Japanese done properly, no unnecessary faffing about, and at these prices (most bowls under £10) it's a proper steal for this part of town.