Ethical and Edible: The story behind Flesh & Buns

Born in the Australian outback, Ross Shonhan worked in a butcher’s shop when he was young and has a history of involvement with food. He moved to the UK twelve years ago, and began working at Asia de Cuba and The Dorchester, but sadly his visa ran out so he left for America. It wasn’t all bad, as he set up popular Japanese restaurant Nobu (in Dallas) and put himself on the map as a restaurateur. Following this success, he was headhunted to work at Zuma, Knightsbridge and his UK based career took off.

Shonhan has always had an obsession with Japanese food and he wanted to convey this passion in his London ventures. His first restaurant, Bone Daddies, focuses Japanese Ramen – noodles, meat, vegetables and spices in a chicken bone broth, served with a selection of sides. Ramen, the ‘souped up super-noodle’ of the 21^st century, began its global journey in China, moving to Japan after the Second World War. Japan has 26 recognised types of Ramen noodle and it is common for shop owners to favour a particular variety, developing their own secret recipe. With no two Ramen noodles ever the same, Shonhan has made them his dish of choice as it allows him to be as inventive and creative as possible – which fits with his character, as being a tall, blonde Auzzie, he isn’t your traditional Japanese chef.

The popularity of this venture saw the opening of Izakaya restaurant ‘Flesh and Buns’ in 2013. Shonhan is attempting to change European opinion of Japanese food – it’s not just sushi and raw fish, it’s everyday eating, cooked meats and relaxed drinking with friends. This really comes across in ‘Flesh and Buns’ as it feels less like a conventional Japanese sushi bar, and more like a relaxed place to grab an evening drink after work. This is exactly what Shonhan intended as Izakaya restaurants are simply Japanese bars for eating and drinking, usually selling Hirata buns with pork filling.

The history of the Hirata bun stems back to northern China, where the climate wasn’t as suited to growing rice crops. Farmers favoured wheat crops and developed the wheat-based bun, making the fluffy, doughy texture. They became a staple dish in Taiwan called ‘Gua Bao’, which literally translates as ‘Sliced Wrapper’ – it’s the Taiwanese version of a burger.

These little buns were made popular by US-based chain ‘Momofuku’, and were popularised in the UK by street stalls Yum Bun and Bao. Shonhan has developed his own hirata bun recipe and this is the main focus of Flesh and Buns.

The restaurant in Peter Street is underground; something I’m not usually keen on, but strategic lighting and an inviting atmosphere ensure that it is far from dingy. The décor is quite minimal but comfortable, with the soundtrack adding to the relaxed vibe. Staff were incredibly helpful – the waiter went through the entire menu explaining what each dish was and its’ size (very important), he made recommendations for our group and was generally a sweet babe.

I ordered the non-alcoholic bramble to drink, which was delicious with whole crushed blackberries. Other members of our party chose wine and cocktails. The menu isn’t divided into starters and main courses; it is laid out in terms of small hot and cold dishes, buns, sides and puddings. They have an extensive sushi selection of which we tried California rolls, prawn tempura and soft-shell crab rolls. The potions were generous, excellent for sharing and the flavours worked really well. I wasn’t a fan of sushi before Flesh & Buns but I certainly am now.

For our main course, it would have been rude not to try the hirata buns. We chose pulled pork marinated in a mustard-soy sauce with salad leaves, cucumber and sliced apple. I was a bit dubious of this unusual combination but it really worked. The buns are yummy and squidgy, and the deliciously tender pork with crisp leaves creates the perfect balance. Shonhan clearly knows what he’s doing. With each hirata dish, you get two buns per person. I thought this might not be enough as they are quite small, but the meat portions are generous – you can share one between two, and more buns can be ordered if needed.

I regretted eating such a large starter and main course, as I didn’t have room for pudding, but this means I will have to go back. The pudding selection is quite small, but well chosen. The main attraction is the S’mores – a traditionally North American treat, but as always, Shonhan added a Japanese twist. At Flesh & Buns, s’mores involve a piece of marshmallow on a stick which you toast over a Japanese-style fire pit, adding biscuit and green tea flavoured chocolate to suit your taste. I think it’s a little over priced at £8, but everyone seemed to enjoy it. Others sampled the doughnuts, which are filled with a scrumptious toffee fudge sauce, I had to have a little bite and they made a lasting impression….