Beer & Buns opens for business today within upstairs events space at K10's Appold Street site where diners will be offered a large selection of Japanese craft beers, cocktails and a menu of steamed hirata buns.
The space will also give diners access to retro pinball machines and fussball to provide entertainment until late every day.
Initially running for six months, the pop-up is the latest project from Bartlett, who set up K10 with Chris Kemper in 2000.
After leaving the business in 2002 Bartlett went on to co-found pizza and antipasti delivery service Pizze Cucina and sushi delivery service Demaezushi before joining Me Love Sushi in 2009 as head of operations. He sold the business in 2014 and has been focused on building his latest pop-up venture since.
Steamed buns
Beer & Buns' menu centres around 'pillow-soft steamed buns' filled with a choice of ingredients, from pork belly and chicken karage to pulled duck leg and Kaki fry vegetable fritters served with misos, slaws and chutneys. Beers on the menu include Asahi Super Dry draught lager and Japanese craft beer Echigo Koshihikari.
Its creation is said to be 'born out of frustation of not being able to find a decent bar that provides great beer and authentic food' and sees Bartlett collaborate with his former colleague to trial the concept, which could run for longer if a success.
A spokesperson for Beer & Buns said the concept was seen as s complimentary fit to K10's permanent restaurant offering.
"Julian Bartlett (Beer & Buns) has known and worked with Chris Kemper (K10) for years and after talking through the practicalities they decided that Julian's Beer & Buns pop up would fit in brilliantly with K10; it’s complementary rather than competitive and has a completely different feel to K10."