A Chicago Import for Park Avenue South

Restaurateurs Miae Lim and Rick Wahlstedt collaborated with designer Jeffrey Beers to open Japonais, a New York outpost of the popular Chicago restaurant. The interior design from Beers (who also designed the original location) includes gold accents on red brick walls, wrought iron railings, and a decorative tree enclosed by a banquette. The large 10,000-square-foot space seats a total of 291 people and has a 120-seat main dining area (known as the Red Room) with an 11-seat sushi bar, a 60-seat mezzanine lounge, a 35-seat outdoor terrace, and a street-level lounge for 40. Chefs Jun Ichikawa and Gene Kato will prepare contemporary Japanese cuisine. Japonais is scheduled to open Wednesday, July 19. —Anna Sekula
Posted 07.18.06