50% OFF AT KIBOU

In the iconic words of the Street Fighter II ring announcer: "Here comes a new challenger!" Birmingham’s Japanese food scene is about to gain a sizeable new player – and, even better, you can eat your way through half the menu without paying for the other half.

Award-winning Japanese Kitchen & Bar KIBOU opens in soft launch mode on October 10 at 61-63 Temple Row, taking over the current Riva Blu site overlooking Pigeon Park. It’ll be the group’s seventh restaurant – joining the likes of Solihull, Oxford and Bristol – and this one’s no tiddler, with room for 200 diners across a bar and lounge, open sushi kitchen, main restaurant and private dining space.

Food-wise, expect the full Japanese greatest hits: chicken karaage, spiced pork gyoza, tempura, sushi and sashimi, ramen, katsu curry and teriyaki, right up to the fractionally more wallet-testing A5 Joshu wagyu. There’ll also be Japanese-inspired cocktails, whisky, sake and umeshu for anyone who thinks dinner should occasionally require a taxi home.

The interiors promise to be suitably maximalist, with bold Japanese-inspired design and original murals from artist Martyna Sabadasz, whose work features across KIBOU’s other restaurants.

But here’s the bit you really need to know.

Ahead of the official opening, KIBOU is offering 50% off food during its Birmingham soft launch, which includes October 10 and 11. Join the KIBOU Club mailing list here and full details will wing their way into your inbox tomorrow, September 4, giving you 24 hours to secure your spot.

On top of all that KIBOU is giving free sushi platters to 100 people outside its Temple Row restaurant on Tuesday (September 8), from 12.30pm. Scan-to-win cards offer further prizes, including vouchers, drinks and a £100 restaurant tab.

Consider THIS your starting gun.

The restaurant opens to the public from October 12. Follow KIBOU on Instagram