Ross Shonhan, founder of the Bone Daddies Group, has today revealed that Friday 21 September will be the launch date for Flesh & Buns Fitzrovia.
Five years since the launch of Flesh & Buns Covent Garden, London’s first dedicated bao bun restaurant, Ross is set to open his second izakaya restaurant in the Copyright development on Berners Street.
The restaurant will differ from the original in that it will explore Nikkei Peruvian cuisine, whilst also staying true to the izakaya Japanese pub experience that has built such an incredible following since its opening in 2013.
Flesh & Buns Fitzrovia will offer a menu of Peruvian Japanese dishes, which were inspired by Ross and his team’s recent research trips to Peru. The visits furthered their understanding of the collision of cultures that created Nikkei - a unique style of cuisine that has formed organically over the past 100 years.
There will be a selection of ceviches, tiraditos, and maki rolls on the menu, all created for diners at the open kitchen counter. These will include ‘Shellfish Ceviche featuring Whelks and Cockles’ and ‘Plaice Tiradito with Truffle Ponzu and Yuzu Tobiko’.
There will also be a large range of hot dishes available to customers, with a specific focus on smoked meats served with bao buns. After 8-12 hours of smoking in Ross’ new wood smoker, dishes such as, ‘Chilli-Miso Smoked Brisket with Chipotle Miso BBQ Sauce & Pickled Red Chillies’ and ‘Shichimi and Sansho Pepper Jerked Duck with Coal Roasted Peach Chutney’ are created for diners to experience, alongside a basket of freshly-steamed bao buns.
In addition to the smoked meats, Shonhan has established a collection of exclusive fish and meat dishes for the restaurant. These will include ‘Tempura Plaice with Yuzu, Honey & Rocoto Pepper Sauce’, ‘Katsu Rabbit Leg with Apple and Fennel Slaw & Curry Mayonnaise’, and ‘Prawn Toban Yaki with Aji Amarillo Garlic Butter’. Ross’ aim with several of the dishes on the menu is to highlight the unsung heroes of the British coastline.
He has worked closely with local fisherman to source produce that would normally be shipped to other countries instead of being consumed in the UK; these fish will be championed on the menu at Flesh & Buns Fitzrovia.
Flesh & Buns’ signature Frozen Yuzu Margaritas will remain on the drinks menu at Fitzrovia, with an expansion into the world of Peru’s most celebrated cocktail – the Pisco Sour. There will be a selection of Nikkei-inspired Piscos available, including the ‘Matcha Pisco’ and ‘Hakuto Pisco’, which will be made table-side on a trolley when diners push the ‘PRESS FOR PISCO’ button embedded into their wooden tables.
The 170-cover restaurant will sit across one floor and will be divided in to three sections using oak posts and paneling, inspired by Japanese architecture.
On arrival, guests will be welcomed to enjoy a drink at the dedicated bar area or at one of the 15 bar seats. To the right of the reception, the front dining area will be separated from the bar and the back of the restaurant to allow for intimacy and to further emulate the izakaya feel.
Through the centre of the site, raised leather booths will divide the bar and the two parts of the restaurant. At the back of the site, there will be additional seating, leading on to an open kitchen with counter dining for up to 22.
Flesh & Buns Fitzrovia will also feature an atmospheric semi-private dining room that can be booked for up to 18 diners.