The Azuki sees the Dotori team opening a new Japanese restaurant by Chancery Lane

13/1/25 - updated with the opening date and menu details.

The man behind the hugely popular Korean/Japanese restaurant Dotori is getting ready to open a second place, this time in the City. Alan Tse has been running the much-loved Finsbury Park spot for the past eight years, during which time he also managed to squeeze in training at the Japan Culinary Institute in Tokyo.

Now Tse is gearing up to open The Azuki, just off Chancery Lane. He's taking over the site that used to be The Pineapple Club on Rolls Passage and is turning it into what he's describing as an intimate new Japanese restaurant, "blending fine Japanese cuisine with the soulful energy of a Tokyo backstreet izakaya."

It'll be a two-floor affair, with a terrace, in the heart of London's legal district. There will be a set lunch and tasting menu in the evenings, but later on the venue's 2am licence means it'll be more of an izakaya lounge vibe. "Binchotan-fueled, chef-driven, late into the night," they say. Sounds like a London salaryman's dream.

Christie & Co were behind the sale and described the building as "a hidden gem off Chancery Lane". There were some issues during the build when it got taken over by squatters, but things are now back on track, thankfully. 

The first menu has now been revealed and includes lots of grilled skewers, using most parts of the chicken, like chicken fillet with plum sauce and shiso leaf. There are also skewers with beef (including wagyu), prawn, octopus and lots more vegetarian options. Charcoal-grilled dishes include snow crab, scallops, tiger prawns and black cod as well as lots of whole fish options. They'll also have some donabe claypot dishes which include one with chicken foie gras, black truffle and Japanese mushrooms. 

We've always been big fans of Dotori, so this is sounding very promsing.