Saturdays are special , aren’t they? The first of those two special days and the canvas for which to paint your precious weekend. Saturday is actually named in honour of Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture so we spent a Saturday celebrating all things agriculture, chicken, sake and more at Hotori London.
Hotori London champions beak-to-tail cooking, grilling skewers of free-range, slow-reared chicken over hot charcoal on a custom-made hibachi. This rising star of a restaurant will take care of your Saturday dinner plans with its 7-course menu, guaranteeing the ultimate poultry experience.
The Concept
Founded by Mike Zheng and Kuangyi Wei, Hotori is a Japanese yakitori restaurant based near Holborn. Hotori delivers a bold “beak-to-tail” dining experience as well as other Japanese delights from A4 Wagyu through to the most moreish Soboro Don with an egg and minced chicken.
Hotori London offers an intriguing Saturday dining experience with three tempting omakase menus. Their goal is to blend the artistry of Japanese fine dining with premium poultry sourced from one of the UK’s top producers, ensuring the highest quality meat. This unique approach creates a rare culinary experience, highlighting chicken cuts that are rarely found elsewhere.
They also use the precious Binchotan charcoal, which enhances the grilling process. Hibachi grills are celebrated for their intense heat and ability to impart a rich, smoky charcoal flavour to every skewer.
An Exquisite Dining Room
Hotori’s ambience is inspired by Japanese Izakayas, a type of informal pub, with minimalist decor, natural wood finishes and an inviting warmth – making you feel right at home. In the centre of the dining area you find the open kitchen with a custom hibachi grill, where you can watch the team prepare. The soft lighting and intimate seating make this an ideal venue for date nights or special occasions.
Hotori Yakitori Saturday Omakase Menu – The Connoisseur and Chef Special
Hotori has created special Saturday Omakase menus, featuring their most popular dishes, thoughtfully paired with seasonal ingredients. The Kaiso salad, a seaweed salad with vinaigrette dressing is essential for the table, especially for the dressing. Delicious.
The Yakitori Connoisseur Menu Highlights include:
- Nankotsu
- Soriresu
- Bonjiri
Nankotsu, a crunchy, collagen-rich soft bone, not only bursts with flavor but also benefits your skin.
The chicken oyster, a small, dark muscle near the thigh, becomes tender and juicy, resulting in a truly indulgent bite.
Lastly, do not miss the bonjiri. This prized cut, known as the crown jewel of the chicken, comes from the tail and packs incredible flavour. With a crispy exterior and a juicy, tender centre, it delivers a one-of-a-kind taste that makes it a must-try at Hotori.
Chef’s Specials Highlights offer:
- Yellowtail Carpaccio with Yuzu and Truffle sauce
- Grilled A4 Kagoshima Wagyu
- Chef’s Yakitori selection
The Chef’s Yakitori selection: four skewers featuring chicken wing, thigh, drumstick with spring onion is a showcase of how to prepare chicken and to finish it all off a chicken meatball with soy cured egg yolk. This diverse Yakitori selection seamlessly showcases chicken like never before, ultimately delivering bold, irresistible flavours that elevate the poultry game.
Moving beyond the poultry dishes, the Chef’s Special features a brilliant yellowtail carpaccio, rich, buttery and bursting with truffle flavour. There is also a A4 Kagoshima Wagyu, with its rich marbling that melts in your mouth, revealing a deep beefy flavour. This is thanks to the Kuroge Washu breed, which cannot be compared.
The savoury side of the menu ends with Soboro Don – a Japanese comfort meal that we haven’t really come across before. It really works. That combination of broth, minced chicken and a creamy egg. The interesting thing is that all these ingredients are presented in the rice, which devours the broth and all the other ingredients. The rice takes on all those brilliant flavours. Soboro Don is a dish to be celebrated and Hotori have recreated a Japanese home dish and elevated it to the heights of celebration. To finish, we tried a delicate mochi and the most moreish sesame ice cream.
What about the drinks?
Hotori offers an extensive wine list along with a diverse range of Sake and Japanese whiskies.
The menu also features selections from Japanese breweries, as well as London’s Kanpai brewery. The yakitori menu pairs well with Shichiken Sake from Yamanashi, Japan – a bold yet refined drink with a creamy, mellow texture, bright floral notes, juicy white peach and a hint of grilled nuts.
For whiskey lovers, the Kurayoshi Pure Malt (18 years) is a must-try. Its rich, well-balanced profile delivers a smooth blend of sweet and spicy flavours, malty depth and an elegant, slightly smoky finish.
For more information visit: hotori.co.uk
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All imagery courtesy of Hotori London.