This place makes my head spin.

I now live in France and French is my fourth language, with which I’m still trying to get comfortable. One of my two mother tongues is Japanese, which I’ve barely used since childhood.

Hence my dilemma when sitting down at an authentic Japanese restaurant in Paris: What language do I use, which would be more polite, and in what tongue do I sound like less of a moron?

All this confusion and social anxiety melts away, though, as soon as the food arrives at the table. Whether it’s the fresh, hot ramen noodles (rivaling those of the more famous Sapporo across the street), the addictively awesome katsu curry that reminds me of mom’s home cooking, or the fantastic filling in the gyoza dumplings (the skins, not so great…) - Kadoya serves it up right.

Whether you want to call it “oishi,” “delicieuse,” or just plain “yummy,” the authentic, home-style Japanese food served here transcends language.

Although atmosphere and presentation are not Kadoya’s strong suits, the friendly service and low prices will keep me coming back.