Juku’s footprint on a quiet street in Chinatown may be infamously recognisable at first glance (it was previously occupied by Le Baron), but that’s where all preconceptions end.
Inside, the multi-level Japanese restaurant, which offers izakaya, omakase and a forthcoming whisky and karaage lounge in the basement, has been transformed by architect Sebastian Quinn into an experimental, abstract space that compliments the array of contemporary artworks inside that make nod to owner and gallerist Max Levai.
Guests are first led into a long, stainless steel entryway, simply punctuated with an angular maître’d stand and overhead fluorescent lights. One step further in leads to the recessed dining room and bar, which quirkily combines grey plaster walls, rich wood paneling, crimson coloured banquettes and shiny, black lacquer-like surfaces. One wooden wall functions as a louver, concealing the kitchen as well as the building’s support structures.
Upstairs, an intimate sushi bar in mint tones allows chef Kazuo Yoshida and his team to truly show off their culinary prowess. Both levels are adorned with specially commissioned art from contemporary stars such as Jonah Friedman, Justin Lowe and Roe Etheridge. It’s this marriage of art and design, which is similarly echoed on the culinary front, that solidifies Juku’s renewed identity.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
32 Mulberry Street
-
Tour David Lynch's house as it hits the marketDavid Lynch's LA estate is for sale at $15m, and the listing pictures offer a glimpse into the late filmmaker's aesthetic and creative universe
-
A new Tadao Ando monograph unveils the creative process guiding the architect's practiceNew monograph ‘Tadao Ando. Sketches, Drawings, and Architecture’ by Taschen charts decades of creative work by the Japanese modernist master
-
Inside the sculptural and sensual philosophy of jewellery house RenisisSardwell, founder of jewellery house Renisis, draws on sculpture, travel and theatre to create pieces that fuse sensual form with spiritual resonance
-
In Los Angeles, Darling doesn’t want to be your average dinner spotVinyl, live-fire cooking, and California’s finest ingredients come together in this immersive new concept from a celebrated Southern chef
-
The best dinner party in San Francisco is thrown at this bistro and vinyl barA new chapter begins in Mission Creek as Side A opens in the former Universal Café space
-
Daisy Margarita Bar reimagines the Mexican tavern with vaquero flair in Los AngelesFrom frozen guacamole margaritas to lamb shank with frijoles puercos, this new Sherman Oaks destination mixes playful gastronomy with tradition
-
Javier's, a new cathedral-inspired restaurant in downtown LA, offers a divine take on Mexican cuisineAt the restaurant's newest location, discovery lies around every corner – and on every plate
-
Why everyone in LA is talking about Café TondoHelmed by chef Valeria Velásquez and designed by Aunt Studio, this new spot delivers Latin American buzz all day long
-
Size doesn’t matter at Now Now, a micro-hotel for solo travellers in New YorkCan you pack style into 32 square feet? We find out
-
At this LA dining hotspot, go Spanish or Japanese as you pleaseA dual-concept dining destination designed by the Rockwell Group brings Mediterranean warmth and Japanese precision to Century City
-
The Benjamin’s chic new upstairs bar is Hollywood’s hottest hideawayAt Bar Benjamin, speakeasy mystique meets elevated snacks, cocktails and views
