If I had to live on one nationality of food for the rest of my life, it would be easily be Japanese.
Fresh, delicious, healthy and never, ever boring, it is with no small amount of irony that my dish of choice should also be the one that seems to be in shortest supply in Ealing.
And so it was with mild trepidation that I walked into Okawari, a modest Oriental eaterie nestled along Bond Street, just off the Broadway.
It was early evening so the place was quiet, but quiet, while very low in calories, is not the main reason people go out to eat. I was shown to a table and handed a menu.
The first thing that struck me about the place was the interior. Okawari is modelled on similar restaurants back in Japan, with tables "sunk" into the floor and a counter by the sushi bar for any patrons eating by themselves or in a hurry. Everything is bright, clean and inviting.
Similarly, the menu offers a host of Japan-centric delights, with traditional starters like Gyoza dumplings. Most of these cost about £4.
The main courses go from anywhere between £7 and £14 but it's an impressive selection, covering all the bases from rice dishes to noodle soups and Bento boxes.
There's also a wide variety of sushi in portions as big or small as your appetite/wallet will allow, and an authetic supply of Japanese beers and spirits.
I decide to go for Unagi-Don – marinated grilled eel served on a bed of sticky white rice, with a green tea to wash it down.
The food arrives soon after and it's just right. The eel is well cooked without being stiff or dry and the rice is perfect.
It also comes with a small bowl of delicious miso soup, which I polish off shortly after the main course is over and done with.
The dish I ordered is traditionally straightforward, but I have no complaints. It's as nice as anything I have eaten in other locales in London.
The staff are polite and efficient, with extra brownie points being awarded for refilling my green tea without prompting at no extra cost.
After paying my bill I lament that I don't have more time or money at my disposal as I heartily enjoyed my feed at Okawari.
But I also have a feeling I will return, not least as there's also a cheap lunch menu. This is the place to go for great Japanese food in the heart of Ealing.
