Set to open next month, the restaurant will take inspiration from Osaka’s 'kushikatsu' dining culture (also known as kushiage), with a menu centred around of skewers meat, fish and vegetables fried with panko breadcrumbs.
It will replace Golden Gai, a gastronomically ambitious bar that Owens-Baigler and Takhar opened in December last year.
Dai Chi will serve it’s kushiage 'omakase style' as a nod to its Japanese-Italian sister restaurant Angelina, which Owens-Baigler and Takhar launched in Dalston in early 2019, with the option of a 'simple' or 'more complex' tasting menu priced at £35 and £58, respectively.
The omakase set menu will consist of two crudo courses to start, followed by a selection of skewers that include shiso, shitake and hazelnut; scallop, bergamot ponzu and Exmouth caviar; lobster tail and hokkaido brioche ‘skewered' lobster burger;and lamb neck with ginger, rosemary and soy, finished with harissa and mustard garnish.
It will also include a course of Japanese risotto, and a dessert.
Dishes available on the 'more complex' menu will include fried A5 wagyu tenderloin and white truffle; and deep fried oysters with blackberry and yuzu kosho granita.
The fried skewers will be complemented by palate-cleansing house tsukemono pickles dressed with fiery chilli oil; and sesame honey and chilled miso soup.
Drinks are headed up by Haruka Hisata, JSA sake and wine sommelier, with the drinks flight mixing sake and wines from across the .
Dai Chi will hold 34 covers in total, including a six seat counter. The pared-back interiors will mirror Angelina’s design, mixing Japanese minimalism with Italian marble accents, softened by dried floral arrangements and with the addition of a vinyl record player as a focal point to the restaurant.
