The team behind Dalston’s yakitori specialist Jidori have announced they will be bringing their Japanese small plates restaurant to Covent Garden on 27 February 2018. Occupying a terraced building on Catherine Street, the 50-cover restaurant is spread over the ground and first floor. The lower ground floor offers guests their very own private dining karaoke room, available for exclusive hire for groups up to 12.

Owners Natalie Lee-Joe & Brett Redman (Elliot’s, The Richmond) are continuing their working relationship with architect Giles Reid to create a similar clean, wood accented aesthetic. Head Chef Shunta Matsubara will be moving from Dalston to head up the kitchen, manning the bespoke yakitori grill, in a continued collaboration with Kama-Asa Shoten, hundred-year-old artisanal grill makers from Tokyo.

Based on the success of their ‘specials board’ in Dalston, Natalie, Brett and Shunta have worked closely to extend the menu with a series of small and large plates. These dishes will sit alongside their traditional yakitori, such as the popular Tsukune (minced chicken with egg yolk) and crowd favourites katsu curry scotch egg, okra-nomiyaki and the celebrated ginger ice cream with miso caramel and sweet potato crisps.

Free-range chicken is sourced from Yorkshire and sustainable charcoal from London Log Company with daily changing specials making the most of British produce. Covent Garden will also offer an extended drinks menu of artisan sake, craft beers and classic cocktails with a twist.  Summer favourite, frozen yuzu margaritas with togarashi salt will also make the trip to central London.

Jidori Catherine St will be offer lunch and dinner, seven days a week, with the local business crowd being able to lunch quickly on their rice bowls during the day, before diving into their sharing-style yakitori & izakaya menu in the evenings.