Rustic Restaurant In Jalan Imbi Has Fusion Flavours That'll Take You From Japan To Ukraine

Shōtō, a modern Japanese izakaya located in Midtown Center, Washington D.C., is introduced as a new culinary and design landmark. The establishment, a project of the London-based global hospitality group that also manages Zuma, opened its doors for dinner service at 5 p.m. The design, spearheaded by Tokyo-based Studio Glit's Noriyoshi Muramatsu, marks his first venture in D.C. Muramatsu, known for Zuma's acclaimed interiors, has meticulously curated every detail of Shōtō, creating an atmosphere that balances luxury with a deep sense of Japanese aesthetics. Upon entering Shōtō, guests are greeted by thoughtful design elements, such as a lengthy, bronzed branch from an ancient Japanese forest serving as a door handle. The interior features an immaculate, wood-framed dining room and spa-like restrooms equipped with custom Le Labo black tea oil diffusers, demonstrating an "invisible touch" of luxury. The 155-seat restaurant showcases a symmetrically arranged sushi counter, a bar, and a Japanese robata grill, where various meats, fish, skewers, poultry, and produce are cooked over pressed Japanese white oak. The dining room's centerpiece is a massive, UFO-like sculpture made from lava stone sourced from an active Japanese volcano. This formation, comprising orange-sized stone chunks painstakingly hand-strung and suspended from the 25-foot ceiling, creates a dazzling shadow play on the floor as it is backlit, especially during sunset. This dramatic lava stone sculpture is complemented by other decor elements also sourced, assembled, or salvaged in Japan and transported to D.C. Shōtō aims to boast one of the largest Japanese whiskey selections on the East Coast, currently offering 40 rare types with a goal to expand to 100 as supply chains improve. These whiskeys are showcased like precious artifacts behind gold metal grates, greeting guests upon entry. The name "Shōtō," meaning "short sword" in Japanese, symbolizes the restaurant's commitment to accuracy and precision, evident in both its culinary techniques and design. The open kitchen and sushi counter offer diners a direct view of the meticulous work of Executive Sushi Chef Kwang Kim and Executive Chef Alessio Conti. The kitchen's textured tile backsplash features vertical rows of curved tiles, which are hand-molded and glazed casts of Japanese bamboo. Clay plates, handmade by a Japanese artist using a wood-fired ash technique, are neatly stacked on wooden shelves, further highlighting the artistic craftsmanship. The restaurant's walls and ceiling are designed with square wood boxes, creating a grid-like visual. Functional decorative elements include century-old parts of a rural Japanese aqueduct system repurposed as flower pots for cherry blossoms. Above the bar, rows of hand-blown glass bowls, crafted to resemble traditional Japanese tea kettles, are intended to hold Japanese spirits, sake, and shochu infused with fresh fruits, herbs, and vegetables. These glass orbs are interspersed with gigantic sake barrels from Japanese breweries, now serving as floating ivory artwork. The bar also features a hand-carving ice station and a bonsai tree, serving house cocktails made exclusively with Japanese spirits. A wine and sake cellar, capable of storing up to 1,500 bottles, occupies an entire wall, with sommeliers using a ladder to retrieve selections, adding to the dining experience's theatricality. A private dining room at the back features a 45-seat rectangular table under a ceiling of wavy red fabric, providing an intimate setting while offering glimpses into the glassy cellar, ensuring a unique experience for every diner. Shōtō is located in the same Midtown Center complex as Philotimo, chef Nicholas Stefanelli's Greek restaurant, which opened the previous month. #JapaneseCuisine #RestaurantDesign #LuxuryDining #Izakaya #NoriyoshiMuramatsu #DCRestaurants #SushiBar #RobataGrill #JapaneseWhiskey

Rybtorg, a boutique seafood shop and raw bar, has opened in Moscow's affluent Patriarch's Ponds area, offering a unique blend of fresh seafood and a hidden wine lounge. Designed by Russian-born, British-educated designer Yuna Megre, the establishment reimagines the traditional fish market into a sophisticated culinary experience. The primary retail space features a galley-style setup, showcasing Japanese oysters and scallops sourced from Russia's eastern Primorye region, alongside a curated selection of spices and pastas. The interior design of the market area incorporates whitewashed brick and scalloped tiles, ingeniously chosen to evoke the texture and appearance of fish scales, creating a thematic and immersive environment for shoppers. A distinctive feature of Rybtorg is its clandestine wine lounge, accessible via a small staircase located at the back of the seafood shop. This intimate space offers a stark contrast to the bright and open market, providing a cozy and exclusive ambiance. The lounge is adorned with imported Indonesian wood details, adding a touch of exotic warmth and luxury. Cushioned window nooks invite guests to relax and unwind, while tabletop marble ice baths are strategically placed to keep beverages perfectly chilled. A striking ceiling installation made of perforated armor sheets serves as a focal point, contributing to the lounge's unique and sophisticated aesthetic. This dual-concept establishment successfully merges the functional aspects of a seafood market with the refined experience of a hidden wine bar, catering to a clientele seeking both quality products and an elevated dining or social experience. #Moscow #SeafoodShop #WineBar #InteriorDesign #YunaMegre #BoutiqueRetail #RestaurantDesign #LuxuryDining

The article showcases 53, an Asian-fusion restaurant in Midtown Manhattan, designed by ICrave, led by founder and CEO Lionel Ohayon. Located at the base of Ateliers Jean Nouvel’s 53 West 53 residential tower, adjacent to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the restaurant aims to provide an immersive dining experience that transcends mere culinary satisfaction. Ohayon emphasizes the concept of a “yummy” room, where a harmonious blend of lighting, acoustics, materiality, layout, visual impact, and a sense of discovery compels diners to return. The restaurant was recognized as a 2022 Best of Year Winner for Fine Dining. The 11,000-square-foot space is divided into a street-level bistro and a subterranean main dining room. Jean Nouvel’s architectural design, characterized by angular beams, allows for expansive column-free areas and intimate dining zones. Given its proximity to a world-renowned contemporary art museum, ICrave approached the project not as traditional interior design but as a sculptural or painterly endeavor. This artistic philosophy is evident in the restaurant's most prominent feature: three dozen giant curving fins that span the entire width of the space. These fins emerge from the street-level ceiling, cascade down in front of the bistro, sweep underneath, and wrap around the ceiling of the main dining room. Each fin is edged with a bright stripe, featuring nine neon-like colors derived from the Nine-Dragon Wall reliefs found in Chinese imperial palaces. These hues also subtly reference the diverse Asian cultures represented in the menu and the modern art displayed at MoMA. The restaurant plans to host a rotating selection of fine art in collaboration with the Friedrich Petzel Gallery. The fin installation, glossy black on one side and sepia-toned on the other, creates a lenticular effect as guests move through the restaurant or view it from the sidewalk. Ohayon describes the installation as both a loom and a veil, with its vibrant colors attracting attention from passersby and directing their gaze to the aerial arrangement of tables, banquettes, and chairs set on an ink-wash carpet, which features subtle smokey grays echoing Nouvel’s steel construction. Ohayon highlights the importance of creating a unique piece of the city's landscape, fostering memories for visitors and a sense of place for residents. The sculptural architectural gesture draws inspiration from the Chinese artistic principle of xieyi, emphasizing broad, expressive strokes and representing the chi or energy flow within 53. In contrast, the principle of gongbi, which focuses on realism and fine detail, guided the selection of decor elements. For example, the colors from the fin edges are subtly echoed in the precious stones used as chopstick rests. Lighting, a critical component of the "yummy" atmosphere, was developed in collaboration with Licht, ICrave's in-house studio. The main dining room features cove lighting, slender cylindrical pendant fixtures that adjust with ceiling height variations, and circular sconces softly illuminating the ecru suede-like walls. An ethereal cluster of small LEDs forms a twinkling cloud above the bar. All lighting elements emit 2,600 Kelvins, complemented by rechargeable Japanese table lights, creating a warm, cinematic glow. The material palette emphasizes honesty and natural finishes, including stone bar counters, white oak paneling, leather banquette upholstery, and wool rugs. The deliberate juxtaposition of warm and cool tones reinforces the duality of hard and soft, grand and humble, evident throughout the design. Lionel Ohayon personally led the design of this project, finding it a creatively cathartic and rewarding opportunity to shape New York City's landscape. He aimed for an expression that aligns with its location next to MoMA, showcasing exuberance with mature restraint, moving away from what he perceived as a "Brooklyn-ification" of Manhattan's design aesthetic. ICrave's extensive experience in hospitality design, spanning over 20 years, allowed them to create a restaurant interior that honors its cuisine without resorting to pastiche, understands its contextual importance, and is as delightful as the food it serves. #RestaurantDesign #InteriorDesign #MidtownManhattan #ICrave #FineDining #ArchitecturalSculpture #LightingDesign #AsianFusion #LuxuryHospitality

Caroline Eden, a travel writer, shares insights into her latest book, "Cold Kitchen," which explores the interplay between travel, culinary experiences, and the comforts of home. Eden has been traveling for 25 years, spending a significant portion of each year reporting and researching for her books. She finds that travel sparks her ideas, while home provides the necessary environment to process and develop them. Her new book centers on this dynamic of leaving and returning, and the concept of finding a sense of belonging. Eden describes her Edinburgh kitchen as a unique and cozy workspace. Located in the basement of a classic Edinburgh New Town building, it features stone steps leading down to the main kitchen area, a hexagonal mahogany table, and wooden floorboards. The kitchen has three small adjoining rooms: a tiny office, a pantry, and a utility area. A single sash window in the kitchen offers a partial view of Edinburgh life, showing only the lower half of passersby, dogs, and strollers. This window also brings in the sounds and smells of the city, from summer festivals to the quiet of winter, serving as a subtle connection to the outside world from her underground retreat. For Eden, recipes are more than just cooking instructions; they are "postcards" that add an extra dimension to her travel narratives. As someone not professionally trained in cooking, she sees recipes as a means to share her journeys and experiences. They often feature dishes she has encountered during her travels, offering readers a glimpse into the agriculture, markets, and culinary traditions of the regions she explores. Food, in her view, is a versatile medium capable of conveying both light and dark aspects of a culture and illuminating diverse places. Her travels have frequently taken her to Eastern Europe and Central Asia, including Uzbekistan, which she has visited multiple times since 2009. Uzbekistan, once a challenging destination for Western travelers, has now become a popular tourist spot. Eden highlights the unique winter melons of Uzbekistan, which are carefully aged in well-aired sheds, gradually accumulating sweetness. These melons, with their exotic names, reflect the pride of local traders. She notes the contrast between these unique melons and the limited varieties found in supermarkets, explaining how even a simple watermelon salad can evoke vivid memories of her travels and the "real feast is within" those memories, rather than solely on the plate. Eden's affection for Istanbul in winter is another significant theme. She describes it as a melancholic but romantic city, especially when seen through the misty fog from a bus. The winter season brings specific culinary delights, such as roasted chestnuts and anchovy-based rice dishes. She prefers Istanbul in winter for its "film noir" atmosphere, with rain reflecting off bridges and a unique visual transformation of the city. Her approach to travel writing involves a blend of pre-trip research and on-site discovery. She often identifies interesting topics while traveling and then conducts more detailed research upon returning home. Her extensive knowledge of Eastern Europe and Central Asia allows her to continually add layers to her understanding with each return visit, incorporating literature, art, history, food techniques, and language snippets. She emphasizes the value of repeated visits and overland travel to gain a deeper insight into a place. Eden also introduces readers to other writers, such as Carla Grissmann, whose book "Dinner of Herb: Village Life in Turkey in the 1960s" provides a fascinating look into rural Anatolia before modern technology. Grissmann's journalistic background allowed her to capture the domestic life, food, seasons, and social dynamics of a Turkish village. Eden concludes the article by providing a recipe for Apple, Blueberry, and Rum Strudel, an easy-to-prepare winter dessert that she considers a comforting dish for colder months. The recipe serves as a practical example of how she translates her travel experiences into culinary creations, embodying the essence of her "Cold Kitchen" concept. #CarolineEden #ColdKitchen #TravelWriting #CulinaryJourney #FoodCulture #Uzbekistan #Istanbul #EasternEurope #CentralAsia #Recipes

Kitchen Istanbul is a Turkish restaurant located in the Richmond neighborhood of San Francisco, known for its warm ambiance and fantastic Mediterranean cuisine. The establishment is highlighted as a perfect spot for various occasions, including drinking great wine and enjoying dinner with parents, suggesting a versatile and inviting atmosphere. The interior is characterized by a warm glow, candelabra chandeliers, and esoteric movie posters, creating a romantic and engaging setting suitable for intimate moments or lively gatherings. The menu at Kitchen Istanbul features a range of Turkish and Mediterranean dishes. Recommended starters include the Muhammara, a creamy dip with a hint of sweetness from pomegranate molasses, and the Havuc Tarator, a minty carrot dip, both served with soft pita bread. The Pistachio Salad offers a refreshing balance to the richer, meat-heavy main courses with its sweet oranges. For main dishes, the Kebap selection, which includes lamb, beef, and chicken options, is consistently praised for its deliciousness. A standout dish is the Lamb Chops, described as a perfect offering due to its pink interior, tender cipollini onions, confit tomatoes, and potato purée. The Moussaka is noted for its richness, featuring a generous amount of béchamel. The restaurant also prides itself on its extensive wine list, featuring imported selections that are highly recommended to complement the meal. The focus on quality food and a pleasant dining experience contributes to its high rating of 8.8. Kitchen Istanbul is situated at 349 Clement St, San Francisco, CA 94118. It is categorized under Turkish cuisine and located in the Richmond neighborhood. Reservations are available through OpenTable, and the restaurant maintains an active online presence via its website and Instagram. The establishment is portrayed as a destination where patrons can enjoy delicious food, fine wine, and a charming environment, catering to those seeking a memorable dining experience in San Francisco. #TurkishCuisine #MediterraneanFood #SanFranciscoRestaurants #RichmondDistrict #FineDining #DateNight #FamilyDinner #WineSelection

Oide Kitchen, a new bento shop, has recently opened in Downtown Honolulu's Arcade Building, taking over a space that previously housed various eateries. The establishment is a reincarnation of Okonomiyaki Chibo, a Japanese restaurant that operated in Waikīkī for three decades before closing due to rising rent. The owners have pivoted to a bento shop model, aiming to cater to the Downtown lunch crowd with familiar grab-and-go options and made-to-order dishes. The name "Oide" is an informal Japanese word meaning "come," reflecting the owners' welcoming approach. The menu at Oide Kitchen features a variety of bentos, salads, side dishes, and donburi bowls. Popular bento options include Chicken namban, garlic chicken, salmon, and garlic shrimp, all priced between $14 and $15. A tofu vegetable bento is available for $13.75, and the Oide salad costs $12. Each bento includes a substantial portion of rice, two vegetable sides, and pickles, offering a complete meal. For those seeking a made-to-order option, the loco moco don, priced at $16, features a thick hamburger patty and egg served with a demi-glace gravy over rice. Customers can also choose from additional side dishes to complement their meals. Examples include potato salad for $5 and dashimaki tamago, a rolled omelet, for $7. The garlic chicken bento, highlighted in the article, consists of grilled chicken served with a shoyu sauce, noted for its strong garlic flavor. The generous portions and flavorful dishes have been well-received, particularly the well-cooked rice. The Arcade Building has historically hosted various culinary establishments, including the Silk Road Café, which offered Uzbek cuisine. Oide Kitchen now brings a different culinary experience to the location, focusing on Japanese-inspired bentos. The owners' transition from a full-service restaurant to a bento shop signifies an adaptation to market demands and the specific needs of the Downtown workforce, offering convenient and satisfying lunch options. The positive reception from early customers, including the author and their coworkers, suggests that Oide Kitchen is establishing itself as a viable option for local diners. #OideKitchen #BentoShop #DowntownHonolulu #JapaneseCuisine #GrabAndGo #LocalEats #HonoluluDining #ArcadeBuilding

The Kimpton Hotel Enso in San Francisco's Japantown offers a unique accommodation experience, blending Zen aesthetics and California cool with Japanese hospitality. This hotel, situated in one of the five best 'coolcation' destinations in America, provides a serene retreat across its 131 guest rooms. The interior design of the hotel draws inspiration from wabi-sabi, a Zen philosophy that embraces imperfection and impermanence, evident in its asymmetrical room layouts and gallery walls. Clean lines and a natural color palette of brown, green, and blue characterize the spaces, complemented by wooden furniture and soft textiles, creating an airy feel reminiscent of a California home. This combination harmoniously merges the 'less is more' notion of both California-style interior design and Zen principles, resulting in an environment that is welcoming, calming, modern, and subtly nostalgic. The hotel's design ethos is geared towards helping travelers unwind after a busy day, whether they are in San Francisco for conventions, festivals, or cultural visits. Japanese hospitality, known as 'omotenashi,' is integral to the guest experience, focusing on wholeheartedly taking care of customers through thoughtful details. Examples include complimentary wine and essential bathroom amenities for forgotten items. A 24-hour bodega in the lobby caters to midnight cravings. Additional amenities include a well-equipped gym, an outdoor lounging area with lawn games, and a vending machine offering Japanese soft drinks, ensuring comfort for both early risers and night owls. The hotel is also pet-friendly, welcoming all types of pets without additional fees or deposits, providing beds and treats, and imposing no restrictions on size, weight, or breed. The Japan-inspired experience extends beyond the hotel's premises into the surrounding Japantown neighborhood. Kimpton Hotel Enso is centrally located in this vibrant, six-block district, which is home to America's largest and oldest Japanese community. Guests can opt for the Zeitaku ('extravagance') Package, which includes an omakase dinner, a visit to the Japanese tea garden in Golden Gate Park, and treatments at Kabuki Springs & Spa, a 50-year-old wellness institution with Japanese influences. San Francisco is known for its diverse subcultures, and Japantown is just one example, with the city also housing America's oldest Chinatown district, a short walk or bus ride away. The hotel's on-site restaurant, Hed 11, offers an 11-course authentic Thai culinary experience curated by Chef Piriya "Saint" Boonprasarn. This multicultural city, with its rich culinary and cultural scene, positions the Kimpton Hotel Enso as an ideal base for travelers seeking a deep cultural awakening and an enriching travel experience on the West Coast. #BoutiqueHotel #JapantownSanFrancisco #ZenAesthetics #CaliforniaStyle #WabiSabi #JapaneseHospitality #Omotenashi #PetFriendlyTravel #CulturalImmersion #SanFranciscoTravel

Jon Neidich, founder of Golden Age Hospitality, expands his portfolio of downtown New York City establishments with Bar Bianchi, a Milanese-style aperitivo bar located in the East Village. This new venture marks a shift from his previous French-inspired concepts, such as Elvis and Le Dive, demonstrating his versatility in capturing different European aesthetics and culinary traditions. Bar Bianchi draws inspiration from Milan's aperitivo culture, a pre-dinner social ritual involving drinks and complimentary snacks, designed to stimulate the appetite and senses. The establishment's design, a collaboration between Neidich, Golden's creative director Andrea Johansson, and long-time collaborator Sam Buffa, evokes the charm of 1920s and 1930s Italian cafés with modern touches. The interior features a diamond-checkerboard floor crafted from Italian clay tiles, custom millwork reminiscent of classic Italian cafés, and a mix of salvaged space-age sconces from the Czech Republic alongside vintage Italian glass sculptural sconces. The central zinc and Formica bar is complemented by an aged mirrored wall and an Art Deco canopy. This design is also influenced by Milan's Fondazione Prada’s Bar Luce, designed by filmmaker Wes Anderson, and indirectly nods to the Milan-based bicycle brand Bianchi, reflected in vintage bicycle posters and the bar's name. The chosen interior green hue, however, is noted to be more pistachio than Bianchi's iconic celeste green. The food and beverage program, led by chef Nicole Gajadhar and Cody Pruitt, offers a concise Italian menu with a focus on antipasti, ranging from $7 to $24, suitable for an aperitivo experience. The menu also includes a selection of central Italian pasta dishes, larger main courses such as branzino, steak tagliata, and veal Milanese, and classic Italian desserts. Noteworthy small bites include prosciutto melone and house-made mozzarella for the Caprese salad. The tuna tonnato, while thinly shaved, was described as having an overly heavy dijon sauce. A mushroom tortellini in brodo, served as a piatti del giorno, presented a traditional pasta in a broth reduction, deviating slightly from the typical liquid broth presentation. The drink menu is exclusively Italian, featuring a selection of wines, Negronis, and three signature Bianchi cocktails, alongside spritzes. The Aperol Spritz is highlighted for its authentic preparation and presentation. A key aspect of an authentic aperitivo, the provision of complimentary snacks, is met at Bar Bianchi with in-house made, waffle-knit potato chips and plump Castelvetrano olives, reinforcing the cultural accuracy of the concept. This adherence to tradition, combined with Neidich's flair for theatrical design, positions Bar Bianchi as a promising addition to New York City's hospitality scene, awaiting warmer weather to fully showcase its indoor-outdoor appeal. #MilaneseAperitivo #EastVillage #JonNeidich #GoldenAgeHospitality #ItalianCuisine #RestaurantDesign #NYCBar #AperolSpritz #NightlifeDining

The article details a "secret omakase" experience offered by Chef Yukinori Yama at Secret Sushi, located within Bungalow Kitchen in Tiburon, a town north of San Francisco. Omakase, a Japanese term meaning "I leave the details up to you," involves a sushi chef selecting the freshest and best ingredients for the diner. While omakase has become a widespread culinary trend, this specific experience is presented as a return to its more intimate and surprising roots. The restaurant, Bungalow Kitchen, opened in late 2021 by celebrity chef Michael Mina, serves as the setting for Chef Yama's omakase. The dining experience begins with a somewhat elusive entry, adding to the perception of a "secret" discovery. Upon finding the dedicated omakase counter upstairs, Chef Yama greets guests, initiating a multi-course culinary journey. The meal commences with a zensai (appetizer) featuring monkfish liver with ponzu jelly and a boiled oyster with salmon, truffle cream sauce, and fried seaweed. Chef Yama emphasizes that ingredients, including the monkfish liver, are regularly flown in from Japan. Subsequent courses showcase a variety of Japanese delicacies, including Japanese sea bream sashimi with dashi ponzu, miso-broiled sea bass with snap peas, maitake mushrooms, and ginger dashi, and a chawanmushi (savory egg custard) with Dungeness crab, salmon caviar, Hokkaido uni, shiitake, and truffle dashi. These initial dishes highlight the consistent use of aromatic dashi. A Miyazaki A5 Wagyu course is also featured. Chef Yama, with over 30 years of experience, moved to California from Osaka, Japan, nine years prior, initially recruited by the late Bay Area sushi chef Ken Tominaga to work at Pabu Izakaya in San Francisco. He later worked at Ozumo before taking the helm of Bungalow Kitchen’s sushi program, where the secret omakase is his personal venture. The omakase experience includes seven nigiri courses, offering opportunities for interaction and discussion with Chef Yama about ingredients like Hokkaido versus Santa Barbara uni. The chef’s generosity is noted, with an extra scoop of uni provided based on a diner's preference, as well as a "Yama Bowl" of fatty tuna with quail egg and caviar. All fish used is Japanese, with the exception of local Kaluga caviar from Tiburon's The Caviar Co. A notable detail is the sea eel nigiri, for which Chef Yama uses an eel sauce containing a portion of a "mother" sauce he started making 20 years ago in Osaka, emphasizing a connection to his culinary heritage. This omakase is characterized as an unpretentious experience, unfolding over 13 casually-paced courses. Priced at $150, it is described as being on the more accessible end of the omakase pricing spectrum. The sake menu is straightforward, catering to a wide range of diners. The article also mentions the possibility of securing a spot without a reservation, as some patrons from the main dining room discover the omakase counter by chance, reinforcing its "secret" allure. #Omakase #Sushi #ChefYama #BungalowKitchen #Tiburon #SanFrancisco #JapaneseCuisine #FineDining #CulinaryExperience