Reservations available Dec. 9 for Japanese pop-up restaurant in Durham

The Cookery is kicking off the first of what will likely be many future pop-up restaurants with Hakanai, a Japanese restaurant by the folks behind Toast in Durham.

The Cookery, a culinary incubator, now has its Front Room, a gorgeous event space with a full bar and outdoor patio. Billy and Kelli Cotter, owners of the Italian sandwich shop Toast, will use the space to open their Japanese restaurant for dinner Feb. 1-3.

Chef Billy Cotter's menu will feature "handmade soba noodles, steaming bowls of dashi, and even a bonito made in-house, which requires brining, smoking, and baking fish in order to utilize it in a finely shaved and particularly flavorful form," according to a press release.

Reservations will open online at 10 a.m. Dec. 9 at durhamcookery.com.