What: Machiya
In a nutshell: Homely Japanese cooking from Kanada Ya
Summing it all up: Pick from little kobachi plates for breakfast, or finish cooking your panko-crusted steak over your person charcoal grill at the this new Japanese restaurant from the people behind Kanada-Ya.
The low-down
Both Kanada Yas remain very popular places indeed, and now they're moving on with another offshoot. All day breakfast, lunch and dinner is getting the Japanese treatment from the Kanada-Ya team at Machiya.
The food will focus on traditional home Japanese cooking like gyukatsu, a wagyu steak crusted in panko breadcrumbs, which’ll be part cooked then left to you to finish to your liking over your own personal grill. Donburi, aka rice dishes, will include variations like their Truffled Omu made with chicken stock and omelette, and Gyudon, with marinaded beef.
But it’s breakfast where things get really interesting, given that most Japanese restaurants in London don’t open until lunchtime. There’ll be kobachi - small sharing plates - on rotation which will include sesame-dressed spinach, Hijiki seaweed salad and tamagoyaki, a rolled Japanese omelette. Or you can opt for Machiya’s amazing-sounding spin on avocado toast, which uses Japanese milk bread and crushed avocado with citrusy yuzu dressing and furikake seasoning.
The drinks list will include traditional cocktails (though we’re not convinced that applies to their Portobello gin ‘Jigglypuff’ cocktail), and lots of Japanese sakes. Whiskey buffs will be in heaven, with some unusual selections like their Yamazaki Limited Edition 2015, Taketsuru 21, and Yamazaki 18, plus Ryoma Japanese Rum.
More about Machiya
Where is it? 5 Panton Street, Soho, London SW1Y 4DL
When does it open? 10 April, 2017. Sign up for Machiya’s newsletter and get a discount on your meal during the 10-16 April soft launch.
Find out more: Visit Machiya’s website.
