If you’ve been wondering what will become of the old Scratch Bakery location at 111 Orange St. in downtown Durham, we have the answer and you’re going to like it!

Chef Micheal Lee, chef and owner of M Sushi and M Kokko, located a short distance away, will be turning this spot into a traditional Japanese tempura restaurant called M Tempura.

Lee learned that Scratch was moving out from a mutual friend and decided to lease the building to bring another restaurant dream to life. “I always wanted to do a traditional tempura restaurant because I love the cuisine and I make it at home frequently. The small size of Scratch is perfect for it because I want the tempura concept to be small and intimate.”

Lee’s next concept was supposed to be Korean BBQ/tacos, but that will require a bigger space since the two concepts will share a kitchen. M Tempura will have a tempura course menu, much like sushi omakase, featuring seasonal seafood and vegetables that are lightly tempura-fried and served one piece at a time.

“It really is like sushi omakase in that it showcases and concentrates on the natural flavors of the ingredients, eating it at optimal temperature and time,” Lee explains. “We will also feature various katsu (panko crusted) items utilizing some exotic meats and seafood, such as Iberico pork from Spain, and different wagyu beef etc. These set meals are finished with either rice, soba, or udon, so we will have a few simple noodle and rice options as well.”

Traditionally, tempura and katsu are two different types of restaurants that are done separately, but Lee has decided to incorporate both in order to make the experience more intense and diverse for his diners. The concept will have a similar feel to M Sushi, with seating at the bar (much like a sushi bar where diners can see the tempura making in action). There will also be some tables, bringing total seating to around 30-40.