A new Japanese spot, Kosho By Tabu, will be opening this year at 538 Sixth Ave South. The 3,500-square-foot spot will be a hybrid of two California-based brands, Tabu Shabu — a Japanese hot pot chain — and Oak and Coal — a spot that specializes in izakaya and yakitori.
Owner Jeff Chon said that customers can expect dark wood tones and dim lighting in the interior, as well as a downstairs cocktail bar with booths and banquettes.
The menu will consist of hot pot options, izakaya (Japanese small plates), yakitori (skewers of meat and vegetables cooked over an open coal flame) and a curated cocktails program.
This will be Chon’s first venture into the Nashville market. Tabu Shabu currently has locations in different areas of California, and Oak and Coal has one restaurant location in Costa Mesa, Calif.
“I’ve been out to Nashville quite a bit, and we’re excited to bring what we think will definitely be a unique concept in what is getting to be a saturated market,” Chon said. “Nashville has a lot of great food, but certain genres — like Asian — are not well represented. It’s getting better represented as the years pass on, so we want to bring a little bit of our flair.”
Kosho By Tabu is expected to be open by spring. Chon said they currently are working on finalizing liquor license paperwork and expect to make further announcements soon.
“We’re really excited about it,” Chon said. “We hope that it does well. We love Nashville and we love the vibe of all the different neighborhoods, and we hope we can be part of it.”
