| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | July 2007 |
| Founder | David Miney |
| Defunct | July 2014 |
| Headquarters | , UK |
Number of locations | |
Key people | |
| Services | Japanese Izakaya -style dining |
| Owner |
|
Bincho, also known as Bincho Yakitori, was a London-based Japanese restaurant styled on the traditional izakayas found throughout Japan. Yakitori, literally translated as "grilled bird", is prepared on skewers and cooked over dense coals known as Bincho-tan made from oak. [1]
David Miney, formerly of OXO Tower Restaurant and Rick Stein, had the idea of opening an izakaya in London whilst he was living in Tokyo in the late 1990s. Miney spent several years delving into the dingy late night izakaya scene, usually the traditional haunt of drunken salarymen and young Japanese hostesses. In 2007 he teamed up with Dominic Ford opened the flagship Bincho Yakitori at OXO Tower near Blackfriars on the banks of the River Thames. Experienced Yakitori Chef and Bincho Head Chef Hidenori Ohata was brought over from Japan in 2009 to help with the menu and expansion of the Bincho chain. Malcolm Simpson, originally from Australia who had been working in Tokyo restaurants for many years, was also brought over from Japan to manage the expanding chain. [2]
Bincho OXO has a massive open-floor plan and seats around 140 covers. Opening in 2007, their OXO Tower flagship restaurant closed in early 2008.
Opening in 2008, Bincho opened a second location in the heart of London's theatre-land on Old Compton Street in Soho.
Old Compton Street is a road that runs east–west through Soho in the West End of London, named after Henry Compton who raised funds for St Anne's Church in 1686. The area, particularly this street, became home to French Protestant refugees in 1681. Known for its diverse and artistic traditions, the street housed businesses, artists, philosophers, and was frequented by communists and proto-beatniks. The Algerian Coffee Stores, one of the oldest shops on the street, was established in 1887. Post World War II, the street became a center for modern and trad jazz. Since the 1970s, Old Compton Street has been a focal point for London's LGBTQ+ community, with numerous gay bars, restaurants, and specialty shops. The Admiral Duncan pub, a notable gay venue, was bombed in 1999 in a hate crime attack. The street is also home to the Prince Edward Theatre, which currently hosts a revival of Mary Poppins.
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