Highly anticipated Detroit restaurant Zuzu to open Saturday with upstairs cocktail bar
Just a month overdue from its initially anticipated July opening, Zuzu, a new Asian restaurant, and its sister cocktail bar Upstairs Bar, are slated to open Saturday along the Woodward Esplanade in downtown Detroit.
The new restaurant and bar will be housed at 511 Woodward Ave., a newly renovated destination designed in collaboration between the Elia Group, parent company of the Iconic Collection — the hospitality arm behind Zuzu and Upstairs Bar — and Yamasaki, the architectural firm responsible for prominent commercial and residential developments throughout metro Detroit.
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True to the overall design of 511 Woodward, Zuzu appears to boast a modern design with futuristic and graphic details. Renderings of the interior dining room depict plush, velvet, vertical channel tufted banquettes and bold carpeting, while an outdoor patio pairs graphic prints with lush plants against the backdrop of the geometric façade of the building.
Executive Chef Bryan Emperor will lead the culinary program at Zuzu and Upstairs Bar. Emperor brings with him 30 years of experience in Asian cooking. He held an apprenticeship in Tokyo, where he studied Japanese and Korean techniques, and went on to work at restaurants across the globe, including eateries in Las Vegas, Beijing and at the famed Nobu in New York City and three-Michelin-star restaurant Kikunoi Honten in Kyoto, Japan.
Over the years, Emperor has garnered global acclaim. In 2008, he was named America's best sushi chef in Seven Sushi Samurai, a competition among sushi chefs across the globe, and went on to represent the U.S. at the international event in London, where he placed third. Food & Wine also named him "People’s Best New Chef (southeast region)" in 2016 for his work at the Charlotte-based Japanese restaurant Kalu Asian Kitchen, which was once selected as one of Esquire’s Best New Restaurants in America.
Sang Park will work alongside Emperor at Zuzu and Upstairs Bar sushi chef. A Seoul, Korea, native, Park has led kitchens across metro Detroit, including roles as head chef at Sora Sushi and Adachi, and owner of two sushi restaurants in downtown Ann Arbor.
On the opening dinner menu, Zuzu features plates of wagyu beef tataki, charcoal-seared and served with citrus ponzu gelée and grated, fresh ginger; sea salt-cured salmon with salmon caviar and black sesame, and Korean fried chicken. There’s also an omakase sushi tower, piled high with Emperor's choice of sashimi, nigiri, maki and more for the table to share; rice and noodle dishes and wok-fired specialties, like a whole lobster in a spicy garlic black bean sauce.
At Upstairs Bar, renderings showcase floor-to-ceiling imagery of Asian women ornamented in orchids and jewels, patterned couches, a disco ball and flecks of varying lighting fixtures. Zaid Elia, founder and CEO of Elia Group and the Iconic Collection, described the cocktail lounge and club as “a true techno fantasy,” in a statement.
Upstairs Bar will feature craft cocktails with Asian flair, such as the Are You Experienced, made with vodka, Korean melon cordial, chrysanthemum and lime; nonalcoholic cocktails, such as the All Tai’d Up with zero-proof rum, bayberry-cayenne syrup, pineapple, lemon soda and marigold and large-format bottle service with sparklers for larger parties. The bar will also offer small plates, such as Zuzu’s signature cashew chicken salad, charcoal-grilled skewers and sushi rolls.
“Our team has worked tirelessly to bring these venues to life in the heart of downtown Detroit,” Elia said.
Reservations for Saturday’s grand opening and beyond can be made via Open Table. To request a booth or table at Upstairs Bar, go to experienceupstairs.com.
511 Woodward Ave., Ste. 100, Detroit. 313-464-7777; experiencezuzu.com
Valet parking available for $15
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Downtown Detroit Asian restaurant Zuzu and Upstairs Bar set to open
