Fusion concept Kinjo will soon open at 226 S Blvd., right around the corner from Michelin-starred Koya.
While Italian-Japanese food might be a new concept to Tampa Bay’s foodies, Wafu-Italian or “Itameshi-style” cuisine has been a fine dining trend throughout Europe and Asia for quite some time.
Kinjo's full-service bar loaded with wine, sake and spirits will be joined by an intimate menu of fresh pastas, crudo, sashimi, and a variety of meats and cheeses cured in-house.
Co-owner Eric Fralick—who’s opening Kinjo with his wife and business partner Adriana Fralick—tells Creative Loafing Tampa Bay that their newest concept is slated to debut in the late summer or early fall, perhaps September.
“Kinjo” is Japanese for “neighbor”— we love that name as it literally is a neighbor to both Koya and Noble Rice,” he explains. "We will have a full bar, dedicated climate controlled wine room, and handmade pasta from a machine that we flew in from Italy."
According to Kinjo's newly-formed social media pages, it will also host live jazz music on the weekend after it debuts later this year.
Renderings from Tampa-based architecture and design firm MICO works—which has designed a multitude of local restaurants including Noble Rice, Koya, Gangchu, Forbici and Rooster & the Till—depict Kinjo as a sleek, dimly-lit space adorned with wine bottles, red accents and pops of greenery.
In 2021, Koya and Rocca—restaurants that hold two of Tampa’s three Michelin stars—hosted an exclusive Wafu-Italian tasting dinner, and we can only hope dishes like prosciutto- topped mochi, steamed egg custard carbonara and dry-aged duck ragu make their way onto Kinjo’s menu later this year.
For the latest information on Hyde Park’s newest hotspot, head to @kinjo_tampa on Instagram to keep up with its summer build out.
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