Doka Square Opens Next Week on Delancey Street

This image has been archived or removed.

It’s full frontal for Doka Square, the new Japanese dining room at the southeast corner of Delancey and Eldridge Streets. Plywood was removed from the premises last month to reveal the true size and scope of the restaurant project.

Executive chef Rick Horiike is attached to the Doka Square menu, which includes “Asian-influenced small plates.” Food will be complemented by “hand-crafted sake cocktails, local and Asian beers, and artisanal wines.”

Opening is currently slated for either next Monday or Tuesday (August 18), as the signs posted in the windows show conflicting information.

This image has been archived or removed.

More about the concept here:

Doka Square is located at the corner of Eldridge and Delancey Streets, in the heart of the Lower East Side. Inspired by the Izakayas of Japan, Doka Square’s modern, Asian-influenced small plates are meant to be enjoyed with our carefully chosen list of sake, local and Asian beers, as well as artisanal wines. As the name suggests, Doka Square is a gathering place for our neighbors and friends from all over to enjoy a quick bite, full meal, or just drinks from our menu of hand crafted sake cocktails. Whether at the concrete and steel bar or one of the long, reclaimed wood communal tables, our guests can savor dishes, from the house-made tofu to the slow-cooked short ribs, in the contemporary, yet warm décor that reflects the grit and vibrancy of our neighborhood.

The beverage plan at Doka took a hit in February, though. Ownership originally sought a full liquor license, but Community Board 3 shot that down. Given that owner Kin K. Ma has no prior NYC experience and that the enormous store at 53 Delancey was previously unlicensed (not to mention the slow creep of Hell Square South), the advisory board coaxed the company to settle on a wine-beer arrangement first to develop a good rapport with the neighborhood.

Neighbors should be cautious of Doka Square. Ownership needs to sell lots of small plates (and sake) in order to break even. That could spell Saki Bomb disaster. Also, Doka is pitched as a “bar and restaurant.” Our money is on Doka’s return to CB3 to upgrade the liquor license within the year.