Daikaya Is Moving On Up; Second Story Japanese Izakaya Prepares To Open

CHINATOWN -- Ever since it first opened its doors last month, Daikaya's ground level ramen shop has proved a popular restaurant among Washingtonians.

And with the debut of the eatery's much awaited second story izakaya addition tonight, the cherry will be crowned on top of owners Daisuke Utagawa, Yama Jewayni, and Katsuya Fukushima's Penn Quarter brainchild.

Customers enter the new izakaya Japanese tavern via a 6th Street sidedoor located to the left of Daikaya's street level glass foyer, when facing the restaurant.

After ascending a staircase peppered with manga comic renderings (shlp!), guests are greeted by a roomy, but still intimate, 90-seat restaurant decorated with Japanese release tour bills, movie posters, and old beer and whiskey ads.

A freestanding bar sits at the center of the room and is flanked by a series of rope-divided booths, bar tables, and banquettes.

The interior can best be described as 'modernly eclectic' and blends sleek Scandinavian chairs with vintage pendant lights in order to enliven the restaurant's backdrop of wood floors and kiln-fired mosaic tiles.

While creating an authentic izakaya was important to the owners, so too was the need to adapt the Japanese tavern concept to the surrounding D.C. market. Utagawa calls such an approach a "natural evolution" in the opening of any new restaurant.

In Japan, drinking and eating are an integrated experience and thus the need for a dedicated bar would be minimal. But in order to appeal to the happy hour and local crowd, Daikaya embraces the introduction of such an area. Indeed, the venue's goal is to become a popular neighborhood hangout.

Open the izakaya's menu and guests will quickly understand why Fukushima has spent the better part of the past two years refining his planned culinary offerings. Unique dishes, such as Wasabi Octopus with Wasabi Sprouts, Green Apple and Arbequina Olive Oil or Spicy Cod Rose Spaghetti tempt the hungry -- although there are plenty of small plates available as well for those who prefer to mix and match.

To be sure, such variability strikes at the heart of the izakaya concept, which encourages patrons to relax and order in any manner they see fit. Want to grab a craft sake bomb cocktail and a grilled avocado snack upstairs, during happy hour, before digging into a bowl of ramen below for dinner? Not a problem.

Late night fun will also be encouraged, with the izakaya boasting its own DJ booth and a planned slate of rotating DJs. Fueling the party will be an expansive selection of sake, shochu, and Japanese-inspired cocktails courtesy of mixologist Eddie Kim.

With now two floors of gourmet goodness, Daikaya is clearly greater than the sum of its parts.