03/09/15 - updated with soft launch dates
After a much-anticipated wait, Tim Anderson has announced the opening of Nanban, his first restaurant in Brixton.
Situated on Coldharbour Lane, Nanban Brixton will be a combination izakaya and ramen shop. Diners can stop in for a quick bowl of noodles, or stay a little longer to enjoy a range of dishes to share, along with plenty of good Japanese beer and shochu.
The menu will feature the traditional southern Japanese food that Anderson has showcased over the last few years, whilst also continuing a series of Brixton-inspired dishes that he introduced last year during his residency at the nearby Market House bar.
"We’re hoping to get as much of our produce as we can from Brixton Market and take advantage of some of the awesome ingredients available there, like smoked crayfish powder and Scotch bonnets.” Anderson said.
Though the menu will change frequently, here are a few things you should expect to see:
- Kumamoto Ramen: tonkotsu ramen with braised pork belly, fermented mustard greens, burnt garlic oil, garlic chips, tea-pickled egg
- Dead Ringer Chanpon: pork, chicken, and seafood broth ramen with stir-fried shellfish and vegetables, seafood sawdust, salted duck egg
- Curried Goat Tsukemen: dipping ramen with goat curry, tea-pickled egg, pickled Scotch bonnets
- MojikoYaki-Curry: vegetable curry on rice with melted cheese, onsentamago, and pickles
- Electric Eel: lightly breaded, deep-fried eel with lime-chilli-ginger sauce and sanshō pepper
- Ackee and SaltfishKorokke: Japanese-style potato croquettes with ackee and flaked salt cod
- Horumon-Yaki: twice-cooked pig intestine with garlic chives, bean sprouts, spicy miso sauce, and lime
- Whippy-san (Japanese soft serve) will also return for dessert.
- Also expect to see a bottle of F*ckYuzu, Tim’s Eastern-inspired collaboration with The Ribman, on every table.
The building which Nanban sits in was built in 1921, originally operating as a pie and eel shop, the team plan to restore many of the building’s original features. This includes reworking the agglomerated stone floor, brickwork, and dark hardwood panelling.
Nanban will offer a mixture of bar, booth, and table seating, to suit the building’s layout and the ‘ramen izakaya’ menu. Nanban will be taking reservations but Anderson assures us there’ll be plenty of space free for walk-ins.
With Anderson’s keen interest in craft beer, it’s no surprise that the drinks list will have a heavy focus on beer. Anderson has collaborated with Hackney brewery Pressure Drop to create NanbanKanpai, a yuzu-orange-grapefruit wheat IPA. There will also be draft Kirin, Anderson's Japanese lager of choice. The rest of the list is packed with independent brewers from Japan, the UK and beyond. Names include Williams Bros, Kelpie, Hitachino Nest, Bristol Beer Factory, and Wild Beer Co.
The bar will also serve the classic ‘chu-hi’ (shochu highball) with a range of mixers including Ting, Old Jamaica ginger beer, and sodas from Square Root. The will also be a good range of Japanese whiskies and a variety of shochu from Kyushu as well as sake and Japanese tea.
“I am beyond excited to be opening in Brixton. Since moving to south London I’ve quickly fallen in love with the whole neighborhood; there is a great sense of community here, and of course an amazing array of food.” says Anderson. "I’m grateful to all of those who have stuck with us over the past few years. It is because of this support that this is finally happening, and I can’t wait to welcome you all for a bowl of ramen and a beer.”
Nanban ia open at 426 Coldharbour Lane, SW9 8LF, Brixton on September 25. They're taking bookings on their website. For updates, follow Tim Anderson and Nanban on twitter @nanbanlondon.
Photo by Paul Winch-Furness
