MiShi, a new Japanese pop-up, is opening Sept. 17 inside BirdSong in Chevy Chase. The addition will bring a modern izakaya concept and high-quality, affordable sushi to upper Northwest. Traditional dishes like agedashi tofu and kakuni braised pork belly will be served alongside classic hand rolls and fusion dishes, such as wagyu burgers and Korean-inspired tartare.
The pop-up is led by Mike Kang, who studied under master butchers in Hokkaido and previously worked as a culinary specialist for Wagyu Sommelier, a Japanese wagyu education organization. The menu will offer several wagyu dishes, including a soy-braised wagyu stew served over pine nut congee with roasted carrots ($28) and an A5 wagyu burger with American cheese and wasabi mayo ($30).
“Being in a Thai restaurant, I didn’t want it to feel like I was just adding sushi to an existing Asian menu,” said Kang. “I wanted to tie in the Mid-Atlantic with my journeys to Japan and my Korean-American background.”
MiShi/Birdsong space in Chevy Chase. (Kaela Cote-Stemmermann/City Cast DC)
The pop-up will share a kitchen with BirdSong, which began as a pop-up itself before opening a brick-and-mortar last spring. Now, Aaron Gordon, the restaurateur behind the beloved modern Thai joint, wants to pay it forward to other up-and-coming chefs.
The pop-up’s sushi offerings are simple, relying on the quality of the fish. Maki rolls range from $6 to $9, while full chirashi bowls range from $23 to $34. The menu also boasts several untraditional items such as hamachi tiradito with mandarin, a raw yellowtail dish with Nikkei-style sauce, kimchi, and yukhoe, a Korean tartare with raw beef and Asian pear.
Kakuni pork belly at MiShi (Photo by @shotby.cupid)
“Great sushi doesn’t have to feel intimidating or reserved for a special occasion,” Kang said. “I want guests to experience really high-quality fish while also having fun with it — to taste different cuts, understand their textures and nuances, share dishes and discover what they like.”
Kang said he first got the inspiration for the pop-up after a work trip to Hokkaido, Japan, where he saw firsthand how izakayas took advantage of the local farming and seafood industries. The majority of MiShi’s ingredients, including the fish and beef, will be shipped directly from Japanese purveyors, with a few local exceptions, such as Maryland blue crab.
Nanika cocktail. (Kaela Cote-Stemmermann/City Cast DC)
Sake lovers will find a large selection on the menu, including a yuzu Ikezo jelly sake which transforms from jelly to liquid when you shake it and a tokubetsu junmai sake from Boken Ippo for $115 a bottle. The cocktail menu leans on Japanese flavors like ginger, shishito, and genmaicha, giving a personalized twist to classic cocktails. For example the Nanika, MiShi’s take on a whiskey sour, brings together mezcal, lemon, and pineapple with concentrated ube, giving it a nutty smell and purple color
The launch of MiShi also marks the introduction of lunch service at BirdSong, which was previously open only for dinner. Diners will be able to order food from either or both of the restaurant concepts for the table. Kang is also playing with the idea of adding a late-night burger menu in the future.
MiShi launches Sept. 17 and will be open on a semi-permanent basis as Kang explores its potential for expansion. The hours are: Tuesday through Friday, noon to 3 p.m. for lunch; Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday, 5 to 9 p.m. for dinner; and Friday and Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m. for dinner.
AloJapan.com