The All New Ogawa Sushi & Kappo is a 29-Piece Omakase Opening in Old City This Week
If you love sushi and enjoy a great Omakase experience, then you’ll be happy to know that a new option is coming to Old City at 310 Market St.. Ogawa Sushi & Kappo, a 23-course, 29-piece, 12-seat omakase, is opening at 310 Market Street on Saturday, December 16th. The restaurant hails from Chef Minoru Ogawa, who has been featured in the Washington DC Michelin Guide while the chef at Sushi Ogawa, as well as the 21-seat Kappo DC, which features an eight-course Wagyu-centric tasting menu.
Chef Ogawa, who has owned and operated Sushi Ogawa in Washington DC’s Dupont Circle neighborhood since February of 2016, is a second-generation sushi chef with decades of experience. Ogawa’s father and brother are master sushi chefs in Japan, and before moving to the United States, Ogawa trained under his father in the Nippori section of Tokyo. His father’s restaurant is now owned by Ogawa’s brother, Shigeru, has been open for more than 50 years. Ogawa, who believes his fish should be eaten with its original taste without toppings or accoutrements, said he will source almost all of his fish from Tokyo.
“Philadelphia is on top of the culinary world in America right now, so it was an easy to decision to expand past DC and open my next location in this incredible food city,” said Chef Ogawa. “I have partners who helped to bring me here, and I’m excited to be part of Philadelphia’s culinary scene, which features some of the most talented chefs in the country. In addition to the omakase, I also plan to bring some of what we offer at Kappo in DC to the restaurant. Kappo literally means ‘cutting and simmering,’ and it’s an incredible style of Japanese dining featuring wagyu, which I hope the region’s diners enjoy as much as I do.”
A sample menu of the traditional and authentic omakase experience features cold appetizers to start, including Kumamoto oyster; crab with Hokkaido uni, and wagyu with foie gras; a sashimi otsukuri course of tuna, toro, ocean trout, shiromi, and ika; a hot appetizer course of yakimono and chawanmushi; roughly 15 pieces of nigiri sushi; miso soup; and dessert to complete the experience. Following in a family tradition, Ogawa will serve edomae (Edo-style) sushi, a style of sushi where fish is imported from Toyosu Market in Tokyo, Japan. In addition to Chef Ogawa, the omakase will feature three rotating chefs who have been working with Ogawa for three decades combined. There will also be sake, beer, and Japanese whiskey available, as well as unique sake pairings.
The omakase, which is priced at $200 per person (excluding tax and gratuity), will be open Wednesday through Sunday, with seatings at 6 and 8:30 p.m. nightly. Reservations, which are required for Ogawa, will be available via Resy.
The roughly 1,500 square-foot space was designed by Cait Borkowski, who also designed the interiors of Philadelphia’s Gilda and Paffuto. While developing the design concept for the restaurant, Borkowski took cues from nature as well as from Japandi style to create a relaxing, yet rich space for guests to enjoy during their omakase experience. A light wood bar offers the perfect backdrop for the tasting menu, while darker wood paneling on the walls creates a warm, cozy atmosphere. Borkowski and the team were also inspired by the color palette of the food itself, wrapping the entire space in a deep, seaweed green paint color while incorporating pink salmon hues throughout. Finally, brass lighting was installed to add an urban edge to the otherwise earthy design.
In the spring, the second floor of the restaurant will open, as there will be a 30-seat upstairs dining room featuring a bar with a full liquor license. The dining room will feature much of the menu from downstairs, as well as kappo options.
Ogawa’s managing partner at the restaurant is Victor Ng, a healthcare professional and father of two. “We are excited to open and begin serving what we confidently feel will be some of the best sushi and kappo in a city that knows and appreciates quality food.”
