New Japanese fusion restaurant and lounge now open in Uptown
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LILA's Niku Rib-eye ($55). The Kamikaze Roll ($19) has otoro tuna, shrimp tempura, avocado, tobiko and truffle ponzu. Photo: Alexis Clinton/Axios
A Japanese fusion restaurant is now open in the former Haymaker space in Third Ward.
Why it matters: LILA is the latest concept from co-owners Nevin Anuran Kin Vinson and the Capistrano family, who expanded to Uptown after finding success in Winston-Salem with their Japanese-Latin restaurant Sushi Rosé.
- "We won Restaurant of the Year in the whole Triad just three months after opening, which gave us a lot of confidence to expand to a bigger city like Charlotte," said Anuran.
The vibe: LILA's nearly 5,000-square-foot, two-story space shifts from a modern Japanese fusion restaurant into a cocktail lounge on Friday and Saturday nights.
- The space features an 18-foot greenery wall inspired by South American foliage, Japanese-style slab walls and seating for about 170 people across the dining room, mezzanine and patio.
- DJs from Miami, New York, Spain and Dubai will play deep house music and Afrobeats on the weekends, helping create a Miami-meets-South America feel.
Dig in: Expect a Japanese-Mediterranean dinner menu with a Latin twist, crafted by sushi chef Armin Anuran, who also developed the menu at Sushi Rosé.
- Dishes include small plates, ceviche, plus a list of main courses from A5 Japanese Wagyu to Mediterranean Pulpo.
- There's also a list of fusion sushi rolls, sashimi and nigiri using fish imported from Japan every two days.
- The drink menu has eight signature cocktails, some mocktails and brunch is planned for the future.
Zoom in: LILA plans to launch a "Drive and Save" program by July 15 to help offset the cost of getting Uptown.
- Customers who travel more than 10 miles can show a rideshare receipt and receive up to $20 off their bill.
- "A lot of people don't want to go Uptown if they've got to drive in, pay 15 or 20 bucks to park, sometimes 30 if there's an event. We want to take that headache away so people can just enjoy dinner," Anuran said.
Stop by: Find LILA at 225 S Poplar St, in the same building as Ascent Uptown Apartments. It's open Sunday through Thursday 4-10pm, Friday and Saturday 4-10pm for dinner and 10pm-1am for the lounge.
Everything we tried:
