Takay, an intimate 10-seat omakase restaurant, is planning to open later this spring at 2296 Coral Way.
What will set Takay apart from a myriad of sushi restaurants in Miami is the experience of the co-founders and their pledge to provide exemplary service.
Glen Kotlyarski and Yoni Matz are behind the project. Kotlyarski has worked with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Makino Sushi & Omakase, and at Michelin-starred Hiden. Matz has helped open and grow several restaurant concepts and Calgary and Toronto.
Their combined decades of experience have led to this intimate restaurant. An installation, made from hinoki wood and inspired by the classic Great Wave off Kanagawa by Hokusai, is the dramatic-yet-Zen backdrop for the evening’s culinary adventure, where guests will experience a 17 or 20-course experience.
The focus of the meal will be twofold: the quality of the ingredients and the exemplary service, explains Kotlyarski. “We will respect the ingredients and the seasonality and being very true to Japanese techniques. When it comes to service, we want to be personal with the guests and break down the barriers.” The chef says that some sushi restaurants can feel too formal, and that he’d rather interact with guests. “We want Takay to feel welcoming. We want people to feel like they want to return time and time again.”
Matz agrees. “Our ingredients are on par, if not better, than other restaurants in Miami. But we want to break down the walls of the very serious service that sometimes lacks emotion. We want to give people an experience that’s multi-sensory. We want your senses awakened.”
Senses will be awakened through the evening with guests led through the chef’s choice of Edomae sushi –a Tokyo style that enhances each piece of fish’s natural flavors. Seafood and specialty products will be flown in from Japan, while produce will be sourced from local farms. Each evening, the chef will offer a progression of sashimi, nigiri, and cooked selections, followed by a seasonal dessert and traditional Japanese tea service.
Matz says that he feels that Miami is ready for the next level of dining — one that incorporates great food with exceptional service. “There’s starting to be a shift. People are becoming more intentional with hospitality. This is a great opportunity to push for that to be the new standard.”
“There are three main ingredients to a restaurant: food quality, service quality, and ambiance,” says Kotlyarski. “It’s knowing how to make people feel comfortable. Miami may be known as a party city, but we are building this for the locals who are creating a community around great food.”
If you want to see for yourself, stop in when Takay opens. And say hello to the partners, who plan on making sure every guests is satisfied. Says Matz: “We’ll be here 16 hours a day. Every single day.”
