Three-Michelin-Star Tokyo Chef to Open Napa Restaurant

It’s official: Japanese food is the hot new trend in Napa. The last two big openings in the Valley were Miminashi and Two Birds One Stone, which are both yakitori-focused. Now, the owner of Kenzo Estate in Napa is opening a kaiseki and sushi restaurant in the former Pearl space (1339 Pearl St.) in downtown Napa. Called Kenzo, it will be an intimate, high-end, prix fixe restaurant with 27 seats, which includes a ten-seat sushi bar and seven-seat private room.

Heading up the kitchen is executive chef Hiroyuki Kanda, who runs Kanda in Tokyo, which has earned three Michelin stars the last nine consecutive years. Kaiseki is a traditional style of Japanese cuisine with a series of small, intricate dishes, which Kanda will personally oversee during opening months, before returning to Japan and introducing rotating, seasonal menus.

In addition to sake, much of the wine will come from Kenzo Estates, which is owned by Kenzo and Natsuko Tsujimoto, who also own four Kenzo Estate restaurants and tasting rooms in Japan.

Kenzo is aiming to open on November 16. Stay tuned for more details.

• Tokyo superchef Hiroyuki Kanda to head Kenzo restaurant in Napa [Inside Scoop]
• Details on Kenzo restaurant coming to downtown Napa [Napa Life]
• Kenzo Estate [Official Site]