A JAPANESE eatery that describes itself as 'a home from home' for customers is celebrating another five star hygiene rating in perfect timing with its autumn reopening.

Edamame, in Holywell Street, Oxford, has long graced the quiet side street in Oxford's city centre having opened in 1998.

The 'hole in the wall' location is often flanked by a bustling queue of diners eager for the home cooked food offering various Japanese dishes, and sushi.

The informal restaurant, where diners share tables, has been closed for the summer break and is gearing up to reopen Wednesday.

Ahead of the return, the eatery is celebrating its five star food hygiene rating from Oxford City Council after an inspection on July 24.

Edamame was rated Very Good for food hygiene and safety, Very Good for structural compliance, and High for confidence in management.

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Owners Peter and Mieko Galpin, who met in Tokyo in 1991, said they are delighted to have once again achieved a five star rating.

Mr Galpin said: "Needless to say it's great to have the five star rating and will continue striving to keep it."

Owners say the informal restaurant continues to go from strength to strength, and as such hasn't changed much since 1998.

Mr Galpin said: "We are doing really well. Even now with the Westgate, it is good little businesses like ours can keep going.

"I am very much for the independent businesses in Oxford and we will have been going for 21 years in November.

"Our son Leo wasn’t born when we started the restaurant and now he has just gone to America to study, it was only then that I realised just how long it has been."

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The pair opened Edamame after moving back to England together in 1997, Mr Galpin said: "Japan is full of little places that you don’t expect to find so we tried to create the same - a home from home."

The restaurant serves only authentic Japanese food, which has gained official Japanese government recognition three years running, and instead of one large menu has three small menus offered in rotation.

There is a lunch menu including noodles and curries from Wednesday to Sunday, a sushi menu on Thursday evenings only, and a dinner menu on Friday and Saturday evenings (no noodles or curry).

Mr Galpin added: "A lot of people over the years have suggested we make changes or could expand, but we just love being in Holywell Street. It is out the way, a sort of hole in the wall location, and makes us feel particular grateful that people come because they have heard about us by word of mouth."

More details at edamame.co.uk