The art and intimacy of the omakase experience comes to Fishtown with the grand opening of Sushi Suite.
SimpleVenue, in partnership with Glu Hospitality, will open Sushi Suite in Philadelphia’s hottest food neighborhood on Thursday, October 5, 2023, at 1832 Frankford Avenue. Guests will enter through the front doors of Izakaya Fishtown and head to the back of the dining room for a private entrance into Fishtown’s newest ‘sushi speakeasy.’ For the next 90 minutes, Chef Mitsutaka Harada will masterfully prepare and serve up a 17-course chef’s choice omakase extravaganza. Guests can pair their feast with a menu of signature cocktails, rare Japanese whiskies, as well as an extensive sake menu.
For design, the eight seat sushi room and counter feature an upscale, dark and intimate vibe that features inspiration with subtle 1920s glam meets modern day speakeasy. For opening night, simplevenue is presenting Sushi for the People, with a giveaway for the first guests to experience Sushi Suite for free. Regular hours and days of operation after opening day will be Sundays and Mondays Closed, Tuesday through Thursday 5:00pm to 9:30pm, and Friday and Saturday 5:00pm to 11:00pm.
Sushi Suite is presented by SimpleVenue, an NYC-based hospitality group specializing in micro restaurants, and in bringing incredible concepts to underutilized spaces across the country.
With more than 15 years of experience, SimpleVenue brings a new-age touch to a classic take on the old school sushi counter. The Sushi Suite brand created the world’s first ever hotel room turned restaurant, where guests check in at the front desk and receive a room key that gives them access to a once-in-a-lifetime, exclusive experience featuring an intimate 4-6 seat sushi counter. Now, SimpleVenue is expanding and investing in the Philadelphia market with three restaurants, starting with Sushi Suite in Fishtown, in partnership with Glu Hospitality.
“Guests should come out to expect a fantastic 17-course meal in an intimate environment where they are directly interacting with the chef preparing their food course by course in front of them,” said SimpleVenue Founder Michael Sinensky in a statement. “To be able to hear a chef describe their food, taste the passion behind it, and see it being made in front of you is a show in and of itself and we want everyone to be able to experience this style of dining.”
For Sushi Suite Fishtown, guests will experience a 90 minute unique omakase experience that features Chef’s choice for dishes. Chef Harada will serve diners directly, making each seating a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience with no two services ever the same. Guests will feel like Chef Harada is their own personal chef as he creates 17 delectable pieces of nigiri sushi ranging from succulent botan ebi to prized Hokkaido uni all made from sustainable fish sourced from all over the world.
Chef hails from Japan, and now lives in Bala Cynwyd. He attended Temple University. He brings with him 17 years of experience from some of Philadelphia’s most well-known and well-regarded restaurants, including Morimoto, Zama, Sushi Hatsu, Ginza, Makiman, Mizu Sushi, Makiman and others.
“All of our sushi chefs at Sushi Suite came from other high end omakase restaurants and apprenticed under master sushi chefs that were given this same chance at some point in their career to run their own counter,” said Sinensky. “Chef Mitsutaka Harada learned under Chef Morimoto but now it’s his turn to shine.”
For the perfect pairing, guests can compliment their food experience with a craft selection of handmade cocktails, imported sake, and rare Japanese whiskies. “We wanted to curate a beverage menu that pairs well with everything we’re serving,” said Sinensky. “Creating cocktails and highballs that balance well with sushi, which can have delicate flavors, and don’t overwhelm the palate or overshadow the food itself was very important to us. We also wanted to feature Japanese spirits in it along with Japanese flavors like yuzu.”
For vibes, guests will enter an upscale, dark and intimate dining room with seating for eight, that brings together a 1920s glam paired with modern day speakeasy vibes. Interior Designer Diana Romeo wanted to bring the beautiful space to the next level, with more life, more warmth and more dimension, with design touches from the Gatsby era. She said, “By incorporating 1920’s inspired glam wallpaper, beaded backdrops, fringe pendants, ornate mirrors and faux ostrich feathers we hope our guests will not only feel like they’re stepping back in time but can also get that Instagram worthy photo from any angle.”
Starting Thursday, October 5th, Sushi Suite hours and days of operation will be Sundays and Mondays Closed, Tuesday through Thursday 5:00pm to 9:30pm (seating times 5:00pm, 6:30pm, 8:00pm), and Friday and Saturday 5:00pm to 11:00pm (seating times 5:00pm, 6:30pm, 8:00pm, 9:30pm).
Each Sushi Suite experience is approximately 90 minutes and features 17 courses, for $185 plus tax and gratuity per person. Sushi Suite can accommodate shellfish allergies and kosher-style restrictions.
