Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants, a family-owned, multi-concept restaurant group based in Chicago, is opening Aba in Wedgewood-Houston and Sushi-san in 12 South this year.
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Chase Daniel
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Jeff Marini
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Jeff Marini
Aba
Aba will open this summer at 435 Houston Street. Aba, which means father in Hebrew, is a Mediterranean restaurant with a California influence. This will be the restaurant’s third location with others in Chicago and Austin. The menu from chef partner CJ Jacobson showcases the Top Chef alum’s modern approach to Mediterranean cooking with signature dishes including Smoky Garlic Hummus, Whipped Feta Spread, Shawarma-Spiced Skirt Steak, and Frozen Greek Yogurt with olive oil and sea salt. The cuisine will be paired with a beverage program that highlights spirits and rare wines from lesser known Mediterranean regions. The restaurant design, inspired by summer in the Mediterranean, is known for its lush greenery, climbing ivy, potted plants, Moroccan-style lanterns and olive trees. The Nashville location will feature an expansive patio, indoor and outdoor bars, and a 250 plus seat dining room with semi-private and private dining options.
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Lindsay Eberly
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Lindsay Eberly
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Lindsay Eberly
Sushi-san
Sushi-san will open at Ashwood 12 South at 2212 12th Avenue South. Sushi-san will serve up fresh fish flown in from Japan along with one of the largest Japanese whisky selections in the country and a robust sake-by-the-glass list, all set to the tune of golden-era hip-hop. Led by master sushi chef partner Kaze Chan, the menu will feature signature maki, hand rolls, San-Sets, nigiri, signature sashimi, sizzling rice, noodles, robata-grilled dishes, and more. The upcoming Nashville location of Sushi-san will be the restaurants’ third full-service location and its first outside of Chicago. The Nashville location will feature a 136 seat dining room, an expansive patio, plus a private dining room with a dedicated outdoor space.
“One of my partners, Ed Warm, has been a part of the Nashville community and music industry for more than two decades and has always been a champion for the city, so when the opportunity came to bring Lettuce Entertain You to the market, we jumped at the chance,” says Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants’ president and CEO, R.J. Melman. “Nashville is a great food city and what we felt was also special about Nashville is its neighborhoods and the two concepts that we are opening are both neighborhood-driven restaurants with Aba coming to Wedgewood Houston and Sushi-san in the 12 South neighborhood. Lettuce looks forward to becoming part of the Nashville hospitality community.”