London's Koya to open Koya Bar next door
Koya Bar, which will operate from the former Mooli's site in Frith Street, will run as a separate business when it opens its doors on 2 September and will focus on serving handmade udon and dashi at lunch and dinner as well as some of Koya's cult dishes such as 'Fish & Chips', Ten-Joji don, Atsu-Age and Kinoko Nametake.
The 24-cover restaurant will also open for breakfast from 8.30am daily, serving a fusion of Japanese and English inspired dishes such as English Breakfast Udon - egg, bacon and shitake with Udon; Kinoko Okyau - rice porridge, thickened dashi with mixed mushrooms and pickle, tsukudani and egg and Kedgeree - rice porridge, smoked haddock, poached egg and curry.
Evolution
John Devitt said the new venture will allow Koya, which he opened three years ago with Junya Yamasaki and Shuko Oda as an Udon noodle bar, to have the freedom to 'evolve' further while those seeking simpler noodle-based dishes will be able to get their fix at the adjacent bar.
From opening Oda will oversee Koya Bar leaving Yamasaki to focus on 'broadening the perspective' of Japanese food at Koya and developing further the daily blackboard menu.
Devitt said: "In the beginning, Shuko, Junya and I had a vision to establish an authentic Japanese Udon restaurant, with a London slant. With Koya Bar opening next door, Shuko gets to embrace a more typical Udon bar offering, whilst Junya continues to challenge our customers at Koya."
Yamasaki has spent the last three years honing a style for Koya, which uses Japanese techniques to cook British produce.
The chef has built up a close relationship with a number of farmers, suppliers and producers in the UK to source fresh, seasonal produce which he uses for his daily changing menu and create dishes such as Hay-grilled mallard, grillots and apricot miso; Venison Miso, ramson and ramson flowers Atsu-Atsu and Sautéed Turbot, fermented cuttlefish and wild mixed herbs.
