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Bincho, also known as Bincho Yakitori, was a London-based Japanese restaurant styled on the traditional
Bincho, also known as Bincho Yakitori, was a London-based Japanese restaurant styled on the traditional izakaya
An () is a type of informal Japanese Bar (establishment), bar that serves alcoholic drinks and snacks. are casual places for after-work drinking, similar to a pub, a Spanish tapas bar, or an American saloon or tavern.
Etymology
The word e ...
s found throughout Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
. Yakitori
is a Japanese type of skewered chicken. Its preparation involves attaching the meat to a skewer, typically made of steel, bamboo, or similar materials, after which it is grilled over a charcoal fire. During or after cooking, the meat is ty ...
, literally translated as "grilled bird", is prepared on skewers and cooked over dense coals known as Bincho-tan made from oak
An oak is a hardwood tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' of the beech family. They have spirally arranged leaves, often with lobed edges, and a nut called an acorn, borne within a cup. The genus is widely distributed in the Northern Hemisp ...
.
History
David Miney, formerly ofOXO Tower
The Oxo Tower is a building with a prominent tower on the south bank of the River Thames in London. The building has mixed use as Oxo Tower Wharf containing a set of design, arts and crafts shops on the ground and first floors with two galler ...
Restaurant and Rick Stein
Christopher Richard Stein, (born 4 January 1947) is an English celebrity chef, restaurateur, writer and television presenter. Along with business partner (and first wife) Jill Stein, he runs the Stein hotel and restaurant business in the UK. T ...
, had the idea of opening an izakaya in London whilst he was living in Tokyo
Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
in the late 1990s. Miney spent several years delving into the dingy late night izakaya scene, usually the traditional haunt of drunken salarymen
The term is a Japanese word for salaried workers. In Japanese popular culture, it is portrayed as a white-collar worker who shows unwavering loyalty and commitment to his employer, prioritizing work over anything else, including family. "Salary ...
and young Japanese hostesses. In 2007 he teamed up with Dominic Ford opened the flagship Bincho Yakitori at OXO Tower
The Oxo Tower is a building with a prominent tower on the south bank of the River Thames in London. The building has mixed use as Oxo Tower Wharf containing a set of design, arts and crafts shops on the ground and first floors with two galler ...
near Blackfriars on the banks of the River Thames
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, s ...
. Experienced Yakitori Chef and Bincho Head Chef Hidenori Ohata was brought over from Japan in 2009 to help with the menu and expansion of the Bincho chain. Malcolm Simpson
Clarence Malcolm Simpson (26 September 1933 – 7 December 2020) was a New Zealand cyclist who represented his country at the 1952 Olympic Games.
At the 1950 British Empire Games at Auckland he came sixth in the 1 km time trial. At the 195 ...
, originally from Australia who had been working in Tokyo restaurants for many years, was also brought over from Japan to manage the expanding chain.
The restaurant has been resurrected in Brighton on a smaller scale by David Miney.
Awards & reputation
* UK Telegraph Newspaper review * UK GuardianJay Rayner
Jason Matthew Rayner (born 14 September 1966) is a British journalist and food critic. He has worked as a freelance journalist for newspapers including ''The Observer'' and ''The Independent on Sunday.'' He was the ''Observer'' restaurant criti ...
review
* UK Sunday Times AA Gill review
Locations
London/OXO Tower
Bincho OXO has a massive open-floor plan and seats around 140 covers. Opening in 2007, their OXO Tower flagship restaurant closed in early 2008.
London/Soho
Opening in 2008, Bincho opened a second location in the heart of London's theatre-land onOld Compton Street
Old Compton Street is a road that runs east–west through Soho in the West End of London, named after Henry Compton (bishop), Henry Compton who raised funds for St Anne's Church, Soho, St Anne's Church in 1686. The area, particularly this str ...
in Soho
SoHo, short for "South of Houston Street, Houston Street", is a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City. Since the 1970s, the neighborhood has been the location of many artists' lofts and art galleries, art installations such as The Wall ...
.
Brighton
Opening in 2016, after the London restaurants closed, David Miney resurrected the concept in Brighton in Preston Street. It has become a feature of the Brighton food scene winning several awards. https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/23404032.brightons-best-restaurants-revealed-2023-awards/See also
*List of Japanese restaurants
This is a list of notable Japanese restaurants. Japanese cuisine is the food—ingredients, preparation and way of eating—of Japan. The traditional food of Japan is based on rice with miso soup and other dishes, each in its own utensil, with an ...
* List of restaurants in London
This is a list of notable restaurants in London, United Kingdom.
Restaurants in London
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References
External links
* Defunct Japanese restaurants Japanese restaurants in London Defunct Asian restaurants in London Restaurants established in 2007 British companies established in 2007 {{Restaurants in London