A brand new contemporary Japanese cuisine restaurant called Niku X is making its debut in Downtown Los Angeles, located at 900 Wilshire Blvd. Ste. 212.
This is the latest concept from restaurateur David Zhao, who is behind several Asian restaurant concepts, including sister restaurant The X Pot, which Zhao opened with Haibin Yang. The two are now ready to open Niku X, a 9,000-square-foot yakiniku concept that will open in Fall 2022 in the Wilshire Grand Center. The restaurant will feature a modern contemporary interior design by Chicago-based architecture firm DWDW with picturesque tile mosaics and ultramodern grills.
“We wanted to present Niku X in an intimate and elegant way,” DWDW managing principal De Shun Wang tells Hospitality Design. “We focused on layering the space. The tall ceiling volume brings a calm light and shadow effect. We composed these artisanal elements with the personalized fine-dining experience that gratifies the senses.”
As for the menu, Zhao and Yang have enlisted Michelin-starred Chef Shin Thompson to lead the kitchen. The restaurant’s menu is meant to transport guests one course at a time using rare ingredients, such as scorpionfish and exclusively grown Japanese vegetables. Part of the restaurant’s mission is to demonstrate why specialty cuts are important to Japan and how it matters for optimal taste. For example, the Niku X proudly serves certified Japanese A5 Wagyu sustainably sourced from their privately owned farm.
“We are mindful of who we source our ingredients from,” Thompson told LA Business Journal. “We consider all facets and have built trusted relationships with our farmers. The bottom line is encapsulating presentation, tradition, and optimal taste. It isn’t enough to simply serve a course but to also explain how it translates to Japanese culture and why it’s important.”
