Katsuya Uechi’s new sushi restaurant opening later this month

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Kiwami, Katsuya Uechi’s new upmarket restaurant in Studio City, is on track to open to the public in early Jan. (with a private debut Dec. 22). I stopped by last night on the way to dinner elsewhere in the neighborhood, and the interior looked nearly complete.

As we first reported last month, Kiwami will be the more upscale companion to the famed sushi chef’s original Katsu-ya restaurant just down the block at 11680 Ventura Blvd. However, at Kiwami (unlike Katsu-ya as of late) patrons will be able to get up close and personal with Uechi. The restaurant will be helmed by the sushi chef himself for at least the first half of 2009, and will offer omakase (chef’s choice).

Accordingly, you can expect this small restaurant, formerly Tama sushi, to be more expensive than Katsu-ya. And you can bet that the sashimi choices at Kiwami (which roughly translates to ‘extreme’ or ‘without limits’) will be more adventurous than offerings at Katsu-ya. Regardless, it’s probable that Uechi’s latest endeavor will be among the serious sushi connoisseur’s picks for 2009.

UPDATE: Kiwami still has a bit of work to do on its interior, and will now open to the public in early Jan., not December 26th, as previously mentioned.

-- Charlie Amter