Opening daily from 12 noon to 11 PM, Japanese gastropub Genji Izakaya is now an in-store restaurant at Whole Foods in Columbus Circle, New York City.
According to the The Daily Meal, Genji Izakaya offers a comfortable and laid back setting for customers to enjoy food and drinks for lunch, dinner or whenever they feel like enjoying quick bites of wonton nachos, sauteed edamame, a variety of pan fried or steamed gyoza, Tonkotsu (pork bone-based), shuyo tonkotsu, spicy miso tonkotsu, and vegetarian.
Genji Izakaya also has all of these in its menu: sushi tacos in spicy tuna, salmon avocado, shrimp tempura and bao sliders which are perfect for sharing amongst friends or groups.
A selection of local and regional craft beers and international brews, Whole Foods' beer selection and Genji Izakaya's sake will surely complement the menu of this newly-opened restaurant. There's also the "mini" menu that you can choose from like mini-bowl of authentic veggie and tonkotsu ramen.
The Culture Trip best explains Izakaya as a Japanese version of a pub serving tapas-style food to accompany drinks. They are usually casual, noisy places where lots of people head to after work.
An izakaya, or "place to drink", is very famous in the Japanese culture as this can be found in every Japanese neighborhood.
These lively neighborhood hangouts are the perfect place to relax and unwind with friends over refreshing drinks and small, tasty dishes. Like the classic izakaya, Genji Izakaya offers the kind of a relaxed and chill ambience.
It's perfect to create this kind of ambience for grocery shoppers that Whole Foods Market Inc., an American supermarket chain specializing in organic and healthy food opens itself to allow a Japanese gastropub to introduce a fusion of Asian culture in an American supermarket.
The genius behind the izakaya-style menu is Executive Chef Tomoyuki Takasu, an alumni of Stephen Starr's Pod and Morimoto.
The next time you visit Whole Foods Supermarket, why don't you pair your favorite sushi with a bottle of sake at Genji Izakaya?
