Satsuma Japanese restaurant to become Katsu curry specialist

The 80-cover restaurant, which has been based in Soho for the past 12 years, will close until the middle of August while work is done to change its look and focus.

Modern pod-style seating for groups of four with enclosed walls and windows in their roofs will be installed and the menu will be redesigned. Diners will be offered the chance to 'build their own' Katsu curry by choosing meat, fish and vegetables to go with a curry sauce, available as regular or spicy.

Royal China, which operates six Chinese restaurants across London, made the decision to re-focus its offering because it felt its existing menu - a mixture of sushi, bento boxes and noodles - was readily available across the capital.

"When it originally launched in 1999 there weren’t many restaurants offering that type of Japanese cuisine," said a spokesperson for the group. "However as time has progressed Japanese cuisine has become very popular and so in slightly crowded market, Satsuma wanted to differentiate itself as a leader in Japanese cuisine, by focusing on one area."