Team Behind ‘Wayla’ Opens Japanese-Italian Fusion Spot in Little Italy
The base of the Nolitan Hotel on Kenmare Street is reanimated, now sporting a new Japanese-Italian restaurant with familiar pedigree.
Billed as a fusion establishment, Kimika is the brainchild of Erika Chou and Doron Wong, the team behind Wayla on Forsyth Street. Here at 40 Kenmare, executive chef Christine Lau is behind the menu which includes Japanese favorites (silken tofu, fried-breaded eggplant katsu) and reimagined takes on Italian standbys (pastas, flatbreads).
There hasn’t been a longterm operator in this hexed space since the hotel opened back in 2011. We’ve seen Cantine Parisienne, Bread, and most recently, The Usual. Kimika hopes to buck the trend; it debuted to the public on Tuesday afternoon.
The restaurant is open at 40 Kenmare Street from 5:00pm to 10:00pm daily, with outdoor seating outside the hotel; takeout and delivery options forthcoming.
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