"IZAKAYA BANGCOCK", KOYA

For all fellow lovers of Koya out there, I'm sure you have been equally saddened by the news of Koya closing at the end of May and the return of the talented Chef Junya to his homeland in Japan. 

I was however excited to hear about the Thai Special Blackboard Takeover by @theskinnybib - "Izakaya bangcock" using a combination of Japanese techniques, fresh British and European produce and banging Thai inspired flavours.

We arrived just before noon, unaware that the opening time was pushed back to 12.30pm - good thing we arrived early though and stayed at the front as the queue was unsurprisingly building up as the time passed by...

 There were of course plenty of tables to seat almost everyone in the queue, but I already knew where I was going to head towards.

It has been a while since the last time when I was at my 'regular spot' at The BackBench - the last one was held in March, the 12th and last Backbench event. I was clearly sad when it ended, but glad that I was able to enjoy all but one of them - I was pretty chuffed with my record!

The kitchen was buzzing as usual, Perm looking rather focused at the front (and I'm sure very excited inside!) as his Blackboard Specials would be served to the first round of customers of the day.

| Brown Trout "Nare-Sushi" with Kaffir Lime Dressing |

The trout had a really smooth and melt-in-your-mouth soft texture. It was soaked in fermented rice which had a slight sweet and tangy flavour. I really enjoyed this with the combination of the heat from the chilli and the aroma of the kaffir dressing.

| Tempura of Young & Wild Spring Leaves with Chilli & Peanut Salt |

Tim who was sat next to us kindly let us have a little taste of his tempura dish. I have always loved the unique tempura dishes served at Koya, using freshly foraged ingredients and deep fried in that light and crisp batter. A really more-ish kind of dish that I could snack on all day.

| Koya Style "Som Tam" Salad with Pickled Blue Velvet Crab |

Som tam salad is one of my favourite Thai dishes, and this version had English asparagus, rhubarb and kohlrabi - the use of rhubarb gave it a bit more of a sharper taste. Quite a refreshing dish, although I personally would have liked it to have a bit more of a spicy kick to it - I blame my Asian taste buds.

| Herbal & Udon Stuffed Chicken Wing Gyoza |

 I really enjoyed this dish which was one of my favourites - deliciously well marinated chicken wings stuffed with herbs and udon. I have had a similar version stuffed with rice before back in Asia, and this tasted just as good, or even better. The stuffing was sealed really well in the wings and each mouthful was a burst of aromatic flavours.

| Thai Style Nettle Omelet in Dashi |

Another sneaky taste of Tim's dish that we did not order! Fried in hot oil resulting in a perfectly browned and fluffy omelette, and soaked in Koya's deliciously clean and comforting signature dashi.

Such a simple dish yet highly addictive and I wished that I had ordered one for myself! 
I believe that it was a favourite from the Blackboard Specials for many other diners.

| "English Jungle" Curry with Wild Rabbit, Burdock, Dandelion & Thistle |

 I do enjoy a good and rich curry, but I also like jungle curries, also known as kaeng pa, a variety of Thai curry originating from northern Thailand. It does not coconut milk and is more watery with a nice level of spiciness to it. The rabbit was tender and overall a really fragrant dish.

| Northern Thai "Hung Lay" Kakuni | 

Regular customers at Koya will most definitely have tried the much loved Buta Kakuni (braised pork belly with cider). This dish had a Northern Thai inspired twist to it, a rich yellow curry based pork belly, packed with fragrant herbs and spices. The pork was, as expected, amazingly soft and tender, paired with sweet pickled new season garlic.

| Junya's Seafood "Tom Yum" Udon |

After wiping clean all of the other small dishes, it was time for the finale - Junya's Seafood "Tom Yum" Udon! An udon dish like no other, brimming with a variety of fresh seafood, tomatoes and combined with my all-time favourite tom yum flavours.  
We did the sensible thing and ordered a bowl each, because a hearty bowl of udon was never meant to be shared...

The ultimate comfort food.

Our bellies were full to the brim with satisfaction by the time we slurped every single last drop of that udon dish. A really unique collaboration and overall great food experience.

Kudos to both Chef Junya and Perm for all their hard work!

I am definitely going to miss this place a lot when it closes, but at the same time excited to hear about the news that the more relaxed Koya Bar, headed by Chef Shuko Oda, will soon be expanding.

I will hopefully be making a few more trips back to Koya and savour each meal before it closes.

Thank you Chef Junya for all the good food and amazing BackBench experiences over the last year. I am sure that I like many others look forward to your return to the London scene soon!

The Cheekster, signing out x

THE BACKBENCH #12, KOYA

I remember coming to the very first BackBench a year ago, and I have been quite fortunate ever since to have attended 11 out of 12 so far and experienced the ever changing menu which is based on seasonal ingredients.
The BackBench runs once a month, over two days, and the lucky five in each seating are able to get a taste of the creative seasonal dishes created by Chef Junya.
Like the very first time, I went solo again, this time for the dinner sitting.
Post-birthday weekend, I ordered a glass of sake, just as a little treat for myself...

| Tokyo Turnip & Plum Flower | 

The Tokyo turnip was so thinly sliced, and scattered on top of it were delicate plum flowers. It looked really pretty, I hesitated a bit before putting it into my mouth. The flowers had a subtle smell and taste of honey, combined with the fresh crispness of the turnip.

| Eel Nikogori, Bramley Apple, Wild Horseradish & Wild Chervil Flower | 

It was nice to see eel on the menu once again, which has been some of my favourite dishes in previous BackBenchs'. 'Nikogori' refers to the gelatin extracted from cooked fish. Boiled in a spiced stock/dashi, the eel is then allowed to cool and set, which then forms the jelly layer. It is usually served cold, and in this dish it was served in a chilled sweet and tangy Bramley apple sauce.

| Brockman's Turnip & Scottish Kombu Udon | 

The udon dish seems to have made an earlier appearance on the menu this time. This time topped with turnip that was roasted to enhance the deep flavours, and fresh Scottish kombu that had been roasted until crispy. The portion size slightly smaller this time, but still as tasty and satisfying.

| Tofu & "Spring" Onions | 

The dish consisted of Ramson, a broad-leaved wild garlic, Calçot, a type of scallion or green onion, and another wild onion species which had a cute little bulb on the end. This was served with some dried tofu pieces and a miso dressing.

| Alexander Flower Buds Tempura | 

Another interesting take on the tempura dish, this time using Alexander flower buds, served with some salt mixed with crushed up buds. Delicious crisp and light batter with a pleasant texture.

| Nanzenji-tofu with Spider Crab & Pepper Dulse |

Nanzen-ji is a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan, and close by is apparently  the famous Junsei Restaurant that serves Yodofu.
The tofu was soft and silky, and I do love spider crab which was sourced from Cornwall, thanks to Matt Chatfield (aka @cornishgrill). The pepper dulse was harvested and farmed by Scottish seaweed expert Iain McKellar (justseaweed.com).
One of my favourite dishes of the evening.

 | Brown Trout, English Wasabi & Ramson Vinegar |

The brown trout, sourced from Northern Ireland, was simply grilled with salt, and served with English wasabi and Ramson vinegar. I do always enjoy the fish courses, and this was also one of my favourites of the evening. 

| Nettle Mochi & Azuki | 

Having had mochi as some of the savoury courses at the start, this time it was served as a sweet dessert course. Combined with nettle, which gave the mochi a lovely green shade, it was served warm with some sweet azuki bean paste. 
Simple and tasty.

| Amazake Sorbet & Rhubarb | 

And to finish off, we had the usual amazake sorbet, this time served with honey cured rhubarb and thinly sliced frozen rhubarb. Amazake is a traditional low or non-alcohol Japanese drink made from fermented rice, which has a natural sweetness to it.
A cold and refreshing dessert, served with a hot cup of hojicha tea, brewed using the roasted stems which produces deeper flavours.

One year on, and still one of my favourite seats in London. Thank you to Chef Junya, Ana, and the Koya team. Looking forward to more exciting dishes in the coming months as always.

For my previous BackBench posts, click on the links below:

The BackBench #1
The BackBench #2
The BackBench #3
The BackBench #4
The BackBench #5 
The BackBench #6
The BackBench #7
The BackBench #9
The BackBench #10 
The BackBench #11

The Cheekster, signing out x

Ps: My camera had a bit of a 'breakdown' halfway, hence the slightly lower quality iPhone photos towards the end... Thankfully it is now 'alive'!...for now.

THE BACKBENCH #11, KOYA

I've made it to my tenth BackBench at Koya! This time going solo for the 6.30pm sitting after a long day at work. I made sure not to have anything too heavy during the day, so as to 'prepare' my tummy for the feast that lay ahead...
For those of you who have followed my previous BackBench posts, you probably know by now how much I love Chef Junya's cooking. He believes in using only the freshest ingredients, which means that the majority of his cooking involves the use of great quality British produce.

I was the first to arrive, as always, and started off with some hot Japanese tea made with roasted tea leaf stalks, which had a stronger nutty flavour.

And now moving on to the food...

| Raw Mussels & Wild Fennel Shoots |

Although mussels can be harvested all year, they are usually best in the cold winter months in terms of taste and quality, before they begin spawning in spring and summer. These were topped with some wild fennel that were foraged, which can be found all year round, as opposed to regular fennel which are usually in season during the summer months.

A couple of refreshing and tasty mouthfuls to start us off.

| Kombu Cured Brill & Wild Onions | 

The brill was cured in kombu, an edible kelp, which absorbed the moisture, resulting in a much firmer and pleasant texture. On the side was some wild onion, yellow ginger, and  daikon and chilli, which gave it a nice spicy kick.

| Mochi & Alexander Flower Buds Miso |

Alexanders is native to the Mediterranean but is still able to thrive further north. There was a slight bitterness to it, which is usually a sign of spring. The mochi, made from sticky, pounded rice, which is considered a seasonal dish in spring, was grilled so that the centre was warm and slightly chewy.

This may not look very photogenic, but it was still one of my favourites - a simple, satisfying, and comforting dish.

Chef Junya also did warn us to be careful not to choke on the mochi, as you may have heard about the news in Japan earlier in the New Year...

| Shiro-miso Soup with Swede, Scottish Girolles & Wild Chervil |

The swede, often an underused vegetable in the UK, was boiled in water with a bit of sake and salt, and had a pleasant sweet taste. Served in a warm bowl of white miso soup with Scottish girolles, and topped with wild chervil for extra fragrance.

|  Scottish Kombu, Tokyo Turnip & Bramley Apple |

The Tokyo turnip and bramley apple were cut into cubes, which were really juicy and refreshing. It was also fun not knowing which was which until you bit into it. The kombu was the first batch of the year, and Chef Junya felt that it was best to be enjoyed fresh.

| Young Stinging Nettle & Cured Egg Yolk |

The egg yolk had been cured in salt, which had a gooey centre, that we used as a dip for the lovely and crisp nettle tempura. 

| Lamb Sweetbreads & Calçot |

The meat dish this time was lamb, which is another sign of spring. The calçot and lamb sweetbreads were grilled over charcoal, giving them a delicious smokey flavour - similar to Kyoto style of cooking, which Chef Junya loves.

Somehow I have just realized what sweetbreads actually are...and not usually something that I would normally eat. But surprisingly I did enjoy it, as it was really tender and delicious. Sometimes it is just best not knowing what you're eating until you have tried it.

The guy next to me seemed to have some 'texture issues' with this dish, as I eyed the leftovers that he had on his plate...

Blasphemy.

| Hay Smoked Mackerel & Fermented Rhubarb |

The mackerel was cured in salt and then smoked, and served with rhubarb that had been pickled in salt for a couple of weeks, resulting in a slightly fermented taste.

A beautifully executed dish, and my favourite one of the evening.

| "Senbajiru" Udon with Brockmans' Turnip & Sea Radish |

"Senbajiru" or otherwise known as "Fishermen's soup", is a very traditional Osaka soup, made using the mackerel head and bones. An economical method of cooking which Chef Junya is partial towards as it reduces unnecessary food wastage. The Brokmans' turnip had been boiled so it had a nice, soft texture. The udon was slightly thinner than usual, but still as delicious, and the soup was very clean and light. 

As always, the udon dish which is something I look forward to each time, did not disappoint.

| Amazake Sorbet & Seville Orange |

And finally dessert was amazake sorbet, which we had at the last backbench except this time served with Seville orange that had been boiled in water. Amazake is a traditional low or non-alcohol Japanese drink made from fermented rice. The natural sweetness from the amazake sorbet and the bitterness of the Seville orange proved to be a delectable combination.

All the portions were just about right, and I left feeling very satisfied as always. 
Thank you to Chef Junya for all the delicious food, Ana for the lovely company, and the rest of the Koya team. I'm already looking forward to the next one which falls on the day just after my birthday, which I have of course penned down in my diary already...

For my previous BackBench posts, click on the links below:

The BackBench #1
The BackBench #2
The BackBench #3
The BackBench #4
The BackBench #5 
The BackBench #6
The BackBench #7
The BackBench #9
The BackBench #10

The Cheekster, signing out x

THE BACKBENCH #10, KOYA

Blimey, is it the TENTH BackBench at Koya already?! 

Well the tenth since they started, but only the ninth for me as I missed the one in November - I know, even I was appalled at myself...

So there I was at my regular seat for lunch on Monday, eagerly anticipating for the first course to be served. Instead of sake I went for the safe option of cold brew oolong, knowing what alcohol does to me at that time of the day...

We arrived slightly early and watched as Chef Junya was prepping the crab for one of the courses. 

| Mochi, Hare, Salsify & Dandelion Zoni |

Zōni or o-zōni is a Japanese soup containing mochi rice cakes, and is strongly associated with Japanese New Year celebration. It was also a tradition to eat rabbit/hare in the old days - a bit of a historical and cultural theme going on here. Even though we are almost at the end of January, it was still an interesting way to start off the first BackBench of 2015 - the soup was warm and comforting, the hare tender and the mochi had a pleasant chewy texture.
If only everyday was Japanese New Year. 

| Rhubarb Ohitashi |

Ohitashi is a traditional Japanese side dish, and a popular way to eat boiled greens. Ohitashi means soaked, whereby the vegetable, commonly spinach, is soaked in Dashi sauce. Chef Junya decided to give the dish a bit of a twist by utilizing rhubarb, an ingredient commonly used in desserts. I must say that I am not much of a fan of rhubarb, but the way it was prepared may have made me change my perception of it - it had a crisp and crunchy texture and really fresh flavours with a hint of sharpness. I can't quite remember what the paste was made of, but it tasted like miso...

| Kombu Cured Mackerel & Tokyo Turnip |

The kombu cured mackerel has always been one of my favourite dishes to order whenever I dine at Koya. The mackerel is unbelievably fresh (supplied by the one and only Matt @cornishgrill), and cured in kombu, an edible kelp commonly used to flavour Japanese soups, noodles and stocks (dashi).

This was served with some cubes of Japanese turnip, which are generally more moist than English turnips, and spicy mustard.

I would be happy to eat an entire kombu cured mackerel...

| Steamed Oyster, Celeriac & January King Cabbage |

We had fresh oyster at the last BackBench, and this time it was steamed. I have to say that I still prefer fresh oysters in general, but nonetheless it tasted good. And I even had an extra serving as Mr P kindly offered his to me - I wish that he would have done the same with all the other dishes.

| Brockman's Turnip Tempura |

Chef Junya used an English turnip for this dish, which has much deeper flavours as compared to the Japanese turnip used in the mackerel dish. The whole turnip was deep fried for approximately 20 minutes, resulting in a really crisp coating and a soft, but not too mushy texture on the inside. This was served with some salt and chilli powder.

| Crab & Jeruselam Artichoke |

I am usually excited for every BackBench, but the sight of crab on the menu just took it to the next level. The Brown crab was grilled over charcoal to produce more intense flavours. And as you may have seen in the very first photo at the top, the crab was being carefully shelled and picked - guess that takes the messy bit out of the way.
I don't think that Mr P would have appreciated me flinging bits of crab legs at him...

| Red Mullet Mandarin Miso Dengaku & Searadish |

 I was secretly hoping that I would get the tail which is my favourite part, and I did! 

Or maybe I was whispering under my breath a bit too loud that he overheard me...either way it worked out well for me.

The red mullet was cured with some salt and mandarin miso. The flesh was really fresh with a nice, flaky texture. And that skin...so full of flavour.

| Mallard & Wild Onion Nanban Udon | 

The udon dish is often the dish that I most look forward to as I clearly LOVE all things noodle-related. The broth as usual was really clean and warming, the mallard nicely seared and there were those cute wild onions again that Chef Junya foraged.

| Amazake Ice Cream | 

No sake-kasu ice cream this time, but instead we had amazake ice cream - a traditional sweet, non- (or low-) alcohol Japanese drink made from fermented rice.

| Seville Orange | 

And some candied Seville orange peel to finish, which went well with the ice cream. 

A great first BackBench of 2015, and still one of my favourite seats in London.
Thank you once again to Chef Junya and the Koya team, and see you at the next BackBench.

For my previous BackBench posts, click on the links below:

The BackBench #1
The BackBench #2
The BackBench #3
The BackBench #4
The BackBench #5 
The BackBench #6
The BackBench #7
The BackBench #9

The Cheekster, signing out x