Located in a cavernous basement in Covent Garden, Flesh & Buns is a lively izakaya restaurant that serves small and large plates of tasty Japanese fare. It’s well suited to all manner of dining styles, from drinks with snacks to dinner, full-on group feasting to tasting menus. The interiors, based on the izakaya bars of Japan, feature plenty of dark, polished wood, soft lighting and a well-stocked bar at one end.
How you dine at Flesh & Buns is up to you. For bar snack-style dining, there are lots of tasty small plates to choose from, including edamame, Korean fried chicken wings and fried squid with yuzu kosho mayo. Sushi enthusiasts are also spoiled for choice, with various sets and selections to sample. The sashimi set, for example, features salmon, tuna, yellowtail, seabass and scallop, while the maki set includes salmon and avocado, prawn tempura and spicy tuna.
The larger plates, however, pull out all the stops. Veggie options include miso grilled aubergine with carrot and cucumber pickle and portobello mushroom with wasabi mayo and daikon. Meatier options, meanwhile, include crispy piglet belly with mustard miso, spatchcock chicken with citrus and crispy duck leg with plum sauce. Last but by no means least, there are exciting seafood options like kimchi tempura seabass and salmon teriyaki too.
Don’t miss the cocktails when you visit the restaurant, as there are some brilliant concoctions to try. The umeshu negroni is a must, swapping in Japanese plum liqueur for gin. For something bubbly, the Harajuku fizz includes gin, raspberry and Prosecco. Those with a taste for whiskey can enjoy it infused with sesame and orange bitters, playfully dubbed a ‘new fashioned’. Aside from cocktails, there is a short but varied selection of wines, as well as hot and cold sake. Soft drinks, juices and teas are available for anyone who doesn’t drink.