Along with a light-wood, nine-seat sushi counter and tables placed around the 24-seat dining room, a six-seat whiskey bar hides behind a large concrete pillar that segments the space. The well-lit space, with massive windows facing Bellevue Way, is located on the ground floor of the One88 condo building in downtown Bellevue. After substantial delays, Takai By Kashiba finally opened on September 8, offering a 22-course omakase experience with sake, wine, and tea pairings. Ed Kashiba, Shiro’s son, said the opening signaled his father’s intention of leaving behind a culinary legacy in the Seattle area as he nears retirement.
Back in February, the Kashiba family (of Pike Place’s famous Sushi Kashiba and its titular octogenarian chef, Shiro Kashiba) announced it was opening a Bellevue sushi restaurant for one of Kashiba’s star apprentices, chef Jun Takai.
