ALLENTOWN, Pa. – Within the 900 block of Allentown’s Hamilton Street, you’ll soon enter The Land of the Rising Sun.
“We’re standing in Okatshe. Okatshe is my ode to Japanese cuisine and culture.” said Chef Jose Garces.
Resembling a Tokyo street scene, the Japanese sushi house and whiskey bar is adjacent to the Moxy Hotel. Okatshe, which means something sweet, is James Beard award winning Chef Jose Garces second Allentown restaurant.
“Tokyo, to me, has always been number one in terms of the culture’s appreciation for fine ingredients. All I know is, when I’m in Tokyo, the ingredients in the food is pretty spectacular,” he said.
The 43-year-old Chicago native opened Amada, his first restaurant, in 2005, helping to start the Philadelphia food scene.
In 2009 Garces became a Food Network Iron Chef winner.
Last winter, we got a taste of Garces’s culinary creations inside his test kitchen just outside Philadelphia in preparation of the 30-year restaurateur’s Rosa Blanca: his Cuban themed spot, that opened in March, across the street.
At Okatshe, Garces says the small plate sushi is sourced from world famous Yama Seafood, with non-seafood options on his menu too.
“So we have real, authentic Japanese cuisine as well. Along with my collaboration, which is just a little spin on it,” Garces said.
Oktatshe is set to open Wednesday October 1st.
AloJapan.com