Chef Masatomo “Masa” Hamaya joined the Indigo Road Hospitality Group as the executive chef of O-Ku in Atlanta and quickly rose to the head of all Japanese restaurants for the company. Now, he’s bringing something new to Charleston — Shokudô is a posh Japanese tavern serving kushiyaki (skewered meats), ramen, fancy small bites, dumplings, and hand rolls made with local seafood. The restaurant opens today, Thursday, October 30, at 479 King Street, in the former Maya space.
Hamaya is excited to work with Carolina fishmongers to bring in the best catches for Shokudô. Diners will find yellowfin tuna, red grouper, blue crab, vermilion snapper, and more. He says that every Japanese restaurant should have some form of sushi, so they are making hand rolls, but not competing with O-Ku for nigiri or sashimi.
The grilled skewers also go beyond typical izakaya fare with interesting combinations like lamb shoulder with curry pickled onion or duck meatball with lotus root.
“At Shokudô, we want to do something very special that is one of a kind,” says Hamaya.
Indigo Road brought in the Restaurant Studio to rework the Upper King dining room and outdoor bar to reflect a Japanese tavern and beer garden. Designer Trevor Stubbs says Japanese farmhouses and the wabi-sabi aesthetic inspired the team. The interiors are a calm space with warm wood tones, glowing candles, subtle artwork, and exposed brick. Outside, there’s a bright mural by local artist Nysa Hicks, a full bar, and a large neon sign that translates to “mono no aware,” which in English means “the pathos of things.” Basically, it’s business in the front and party in the back.
Take a look around the space and the menu here, before Shokudô opens the doors at 4 p.m. today.
AloJapan.com