Mike Lim is packing his knives and heading to Midtown. The talented sushi chef has left Tobiuo Sushi in Katy to open Kanau Sushi, a new restaurant in Drewery Place, Midtown's newly-opened high-rise residential tower.
Slated to open in early 2020, Kanau will offer the same sort of French-influenced Japanese fare that earned Lim raves at Tobiuo. In addition, Lim will continue with some of the more theatrical elements of his cooking, such as hosting special dinners where he breaks down a 300-pound tuna in front of diners to create a multi-course meal.
"Our vision for Kanau Sushi is to create an experiential ambience for our guests, where food, art, colors, and structure come together,” Lim said in a statement. “We will be including tableside dishes and French-infused small cold dishes for a world of sensations, as well as offer an omakase experience menu at the sushi bar, which is one of my favorite things to do.”
The chef will be an owner of the restaurant along with business partners Vinh Nguyen, Harry Nguyen, and Tony Le. A representative for Tobiuo confirmed Lim's departure and identified the restaurant's new owner as Sherman Yeung.
Kanau will join Earthcraft Juicery and Black Swan Yoga as retail tenants at Drewery Place. The 27-story, 357-unit building features amenities such as an expansive pool with swim-up bar, a private dog park, and a coworking space.
“Houston is one of the most diverse cities in the U.S., with an array of restaurants and bars,” said Joe Russo, principal of Caydon, the Australian company that developed the building. “We strategically wanted to bring an elevated restaurant experience to Drewery Place that would appeal to the global audience walking through Midtown. We foresee Kanau Sushi becoming a neighborhood staple that combines fusion cuisine and complements the international dining scene of the city.”
Lim earned acclaim for his intricate plating at Tobiuo.
