There’s a new sushi spot in town, and it recently opened in the Old City neighborhood to offer a unique and curated atmosphere. Ogawa Sushi & Kappo boasts a 3-course, 29-piece, 12-seat omakase experience and it just opened its doors last Saturday.
The restaurant hails from Chef Minoru Ogawa—who some may have seen featured in the Washington DC Michelin Guide while he was the chef at Sushi Ogawa (as well as the 21-seat Kappo DC) which features an eight-course Wagyu-centric tasting menu.
As a release states, Ogawa 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, 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 accouterments, 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 decision to expand past DC and open my next location in this incredible food city,” said Ogawa in a statement.
The chef continued: “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.”
So what can Philadelphians expect when they stop in? Ogawa begins with a traditional and authentic omakase experience with cold appetizers to start, spanning Kumamoto oyster; crab with Hokkaido uni, and wagyu with foie gras; a sashimi otsukuri course of tuna, toro, ocean trout, shiromi, and ika, plus, some hot appetizers boasting a course of yakimono and chawanmushi. Then the 15 pieces of nigiri sushi; miso soup; and dessert complete the experience here.
Ogawa will also be serving up this experience Edo-style for the sushi (sticking to the chef’s family tradition), aka a style of sushi where fish is imported from the Toyosu Market in Tokyo, Japan. Chef Ogawa’s Omasake will feature three rotating chefs at its helm (who have been working with Chef for about three decades put together). And on top of the food, there will also be sake, beer, and Japanese whiskey available, as well as unique sake pairings.
Right now the 1,500 square-foot space has one floor open, with the second-floor planning to commence service in the spring of 2024 with a 30-seat dining room featuring a bar with a full liquor license, plus kappo options.
As the release notes, Ogawa Sushi & Kappo 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. That means a light wood bar with darker wood paneling on the walls, and as the release also says, Borkowski and the team were additionally inspired by the color palette of the food itself… So they wrapped 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.”
Ogawa’s managing partner at the restaurant is Victor Ng, a healthcare professional and father of two. As Ng says: “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.”
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 (310 Market St.), will be available via Resy. Fore more information, visit ogawaphilly.com
