Interactive personal dining experiences don’t come better than a visit to Katana.
Situated next to the New Theatre in Peterborough, the building - a former charity shop - has been renovated to a high standard, complete with a stylish and very modern black and green colour pallet.
The food itself is not only absolutely delicious - particularly the succulent chicken teriyaki skewers, which are sweet and sticky and come with a honey glaze - but also beautifully presented.
However, after the starters is when the action really begins with the arrival of the Teppanyaki chef to his station.
Right from the start, he makes it a real experience, completing skilled tricks with eggs (we won’t spoil that too much) and getting people around the table involved.
Watching him create the flames at his station is also a real thrill, as he cooks all the mains - a mix of meats, noodles and rice - from scratch.
The excitement doesn’t stop there, however, as there’s also some flipping good fun on delivery (again, no spoilers).
Overall, the set lunch menu offers great value for money, a new experience and, perhaps most importantly, great food.
When speaking with one of the company’s directors, he says that the Peterborough restaurant - which is the larger, flagship site - was meant to be open two years ago.
However, the Covid-19 pandemic meant that plans had to be put on hold.
Then, in May 2022 the renovation began with the building completely stripped out.
The refurbishment continued for four to six months, and recruitment took a further month.
It now boasts a private function lounge and separate ‘bubbles bar’ which offers creative cocktails, sakes, premium champagnes, wines, high-end spirits including Japanese whiskies, gin and vodka.
With the likes of SUSHISAMBA in mind, the director added that the ethos is to “bring the London Mayfair experience to Peterborough.
“When you think of SUSHISAMBA, why can’t we have a similar experience to that? Because there is nothing like this in Peterborough or Cambridge.”
To this end, he said that everything that Katana does is “focused on uniqueness, creativity and quality.
“It’s all about how we can give that wow factor.”
He added that the restaurant is now serving bottomless brunch (a slate with sushi and a hot or cold starter), ladies’ nights with cocktails so guests can do bartending experience.
There will also be after-work offers in the bar, for cocktails and beers with excellent value for money (£4.95 onwards).
“Our extensive wine list, you can’t get their wines anywhere else in Peterborough or Cambridge. And even the glasses and cutlery, we have, you can’t find them anywhere nearby,” the director added.
“People should find a reason to come here - exceeding the expectation is the most important thing to us.”
The team at Katana are certainly meeting their own and guests’ expectations because they have been busy since opening; in fact, their weekends have been full of advanced bookings.
“We have a lot of team members, 45 including kitchen staff, to maintain the standards,” the director added.
“But we have to take a risk, and so far everyone is supporting us."
To book a table visit www.katanapeterborough.co.uk or call 07454 802724 or 01733 644 100.
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