Japanese ‘pint and skewer’ concept to open in London
Located adjacent to Oxford Street, the Woodstock Kushiyaki Bar will serve a Japanese-led drinks menu and freshly-grilled kushiyaki skewers when it beings trading in March.
The concept is popular in pubs and bars across Japan, where many people stop for a ‘pint and skewer’ before heading home after work.
The ground floor will be focused on casual drinking. Designed by London-based company Total Planner, it will contain a large slate-fronted bar, exposed wooden walls and limited seating, and an open kitchen that will aim to bring an element of theatre to the space.
Downstairs, there will be a collection of tables and stools and an additional bar.
Skewer specialty
The menu will offer over 20 varieties of skewers, divided into kushiyaki – grilled skewers served with salt or teriyaki sauce, and kushiyage – fried skewers served with miso and dashi sauce. All of the skewers are cooked to order and are priced from £2.50 for two.
The kushiyaki skewers will be available in a variety of chicken cuts – breast, thighs, wings or balls –as well as pork belly and beef. There will also be asparagus with bacon, cherry tomatoes with cheese, and grilled leeks.
The kushiyage skewers will include, among others, chicken breast with cheese, pork tonkatsu, beef katsu, soft shell crab, king prawn, avocado, calamari, and quail eggs with mushrooms.
The drinks offering will feature Japanese draft beer, as well as Young’s London Stout, Flying Dogfish and Meantime IPA and lager, plus a large selection of Japanese and international bottled beers. There will also be wines, Champagne, Prosecco and cider.
Spirits offer
A variety of speciality sakes, shochu, umeshu and Japanese whiskies will be available from distilleries such as Karuizawa, Chichibu, Hanyu, Nikka and Suntory.
The Woodstock will also serve its own signature take on hot drinks, including matcha latte, matcha green tea and sencha green tea.
The bar, which will have a capacity of 60, will be open daily from 11am to midnight serving food and drinks throughout. It will not be taking reservations.
Izakaya, which translates as ‘the roof with alcohol’, is an emerging dining trend in the capital. Last summer, izakaya pop-up Kurobuta opened permanent restaurants in both Chelsea and Marble Arch.
