Japanese restaurant celebrates first anniversary in Birmingham with Chef’s table tasting menu

Independent Japanese restaurant Maneki Ramen - located in the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham - is marking its first anniversary with the launch of an intimate new Chef’s Table tasting menu.

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The new experience blends the two traditional Japanese styles of Kaiseki and Omakese dining.

Kaiseki dining focuses on seasonality and refined presentation while Omakase dining, which translates as ‘I leave it up to you’, centres on a menu of the chef’s choice.

Curated and led by Chef Pete Dovaston, Chef’s Table will reflect his distinctive culinary perspective, shaped by his experience working in Japan and a deep respect for traditional techniques.

Having refined his craft working in an Omakase restaurant in Tokyo, Dovaston brings an approach rooted in seasonality, intuition and precision, balancing bold, expressive flavours.

Designed as a celebration of flavour, harmony and technique, Chef’s Table will highlight Maneki Ramen’s commitment to thoughtful, high-impact cooking, grounded in Japanese culinary philosophy.

Chef’s Table will feature a 9-course menu, with the option to pair with a wine or soft drinks flight. The signature dishes will incorporate a variety of cooking methods and ingredients, including raw and cooked seafood, meats, rice, and broths.

Maneki Ramen Chef’s Table courses could include:

• Sourdough Shokupan bread
• Lobster sashimi with smoked beef fat tart
• Cornish crab with crab head emulsion and smoked caviar
• Shiitake-stuffed Tebasaki chicken wing
• Duck and aji yaki gyoza with Manchego cheese skirt
• Scallop with green apple and elderflower dashi
• Sake-cured chicken liver parfait with rhubarb boshi
• Oyster chawanmushi with oyster karaage and seaweed hollandaise
• Cod with cauliflower and caviar
• Konbu dry-aged Devonshire duck with duck korokke and tonkatsu sauce
• Miso custard caramel tart with matcha crema

The Chef’s Table will operate with extremely limited availability, offering just two sittings every Saturday at 6pm and 8pm, with four to five guests per sitting.

Priced at £125 per person excluding service, the experience is designed to be both intimate and interactive, with guests seated close to the action as Dovaston prepares and presents each course.

“Working in Tokyo shaped the way I think about food,” says Chef Pete Dovaston. “It’s about trusting the seasons, respecting the ingredients, and creating something that feels balanced but still exciting. Chef’s Table is a chance to share that approach in a more personal way.”

Bookings are now open, with the first sitting taking place on Saturday 30th May 2026. Reservations can be made via this link - https://www.manekiramen.com/tasting-menu-birmingham/