Zaibatsu Returns

The return of Zaibatsu is something that some people in Greenwich have been looking forward to, much like the second coming of Christ. However, unlike Jesus, Zaibatsu is actually returning to the people.

Some of you may be thinking, Who or what is Zaibatsu. Zaibatsu was one of the best Japanese Pan-Asian restaurants in Greenwich, which was forcibly shut down due to underhanded business practices.

Two years ago, Zaibatsu was a thriving business, providing the people of Greenwich with excellent and affordable Japanese and pan-Asian cuisine. However, out of the blue, their landlord decided to evict them, for what people assumed was no ethical reason.

There was a reason, you see. It was alleged that the landlord’s son wanted to get into the restaurant business, so the landlord and his family thought they would evict the thriving business, set up a small restaurant selling virtually the same cuisine, and steal all their loyal customer base. Unfortunately, they seemed to misinterpret the word “loyal”, and many of the loyal customers boycotted the new restaurant.

Some of the reviews gave the Cuckoo restaurant good reviews, but at the end of the day, even if you have fantastic reviews, what they did behind the scenes to achieve them was sneaky, underhanded, and diabolical.

Well, two years later, the Cuckoo restaurant seems to have closed down, and the original Zaibatsu has risen like a phoenix from the flames and will soon reopen at 242 Woolwich Road, in what was, until earlier this year, Peter’s Café.

I refused to review the new restaurant as I thought the way the landlord treated Zaibatsu was shocking. I had a review of Zaibatsu, but had to remove it when Zaibatsu closed. Never fear, a new review will appear as soon as they reopen and settle in.

Admittedly, the location is not as good as the old restaurant, and it will not attract as much foot traffic as it did when it was on Trafalgar Road. The new place is similar in size to the original site, so it’s still cosy and small, and booking in advance will once again be a must in the evening. The wife and I used to go to Zaibatsu after a workout in the gym in the afternoon, so usually they had space so booking was not necessary.

On social media, even some of its loyal followers are saying that it is too far or that there is nowhere to park, despite the large car park of the Greenwich shopping park being nearby, and the 177 bus route running just a short distance from the original shop to the new one.

Luckily for me, I live near the new site, so I plan to frequent it more regularly this time.