Flesh & Buns

Words by Ian Cameron

Address: 41 Earlham Street, London, WC2H 9LX, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)207 632 9500
Website: view Flesh & Buns’ website
Door: Make reservation
Style: Restaurant bar
Food: Set menu

Review

The basement site that was formerly Freedom Brewing is now a buzzy and happening New York-style Asian fusion drinking and dining concept. A large sharing table runs the length of the space, with an open kitchen at one end and a bar at the other (no, you don't need to eat in order to drink here). Flesh and buns refers to the signature steamed hirata buns that can be filled with a meat of your choice. A good looking foodie clientele packs the space.

A large list of sakes heads an imaginative drinks programme, with warm, cold, speciality and seasonal options that range from £6.60 for a 125ml serve to £104 per bottle. Cocktails are delicately eastern-influenced twists on classics that borrow from the arsenal of flavours at the disposal of the chefs and are pitch perfect for a contemporary restaurant bar - they're well-balanced, genuinely fun (running from the aromatic Peach Blossom Sour to the Shiso and Pink Peppercorn Julep and the Frozen Yuzu Margarita) and given the same status as the food. A great vibe and fantastic service help earn it a rating of 4/5.