Star sushi chef to open Kira Omakase in New Orleans

Driving the news: Reservations are now available for Kira Omakase, which is a specialized counter within the existing Kira restaurant.

• It opens Thursday with Okai at the helm.

The big picture: Okai, who's from Kyoto, Japan, made his name in Austin, Texas.

• There, he served as head sushi chef for the influential sister restaurants Uchi and Uchiko before becoming executive chef at Otoko.
• Okai was also named one of Food & Wine's Best New Chefs in 2017.

Zoom in: Okai only recently moved to New Orleans, but he first visited when he played a show at the Mermaid Lounge in 2003, he says.

• "The food community won me over, and I love that everywhere you look, there's something new to try," he says.

Kira Omakase will soon be part of that.

• The restaurant-within-a-restaurant experience will include seating for 12, each of whom will be served personally for 20 courses.
• "With omakase, you get to experience some of the best parts of dining," Okai says. "One is the deep care of the ingredients. Guests feel that care when the product can shine in its best form."

• Plus, the intimacy of the dining experience "allows me to connect with every diner and deliver each bite at the perfect temperature and cadence," he says.

Fun fact: Okai's a big punk rock fan, so he's also curating the restaurant's playlist. Expect jazz, dark wave and rock.

If you go: Seatings are priced at $175 and available Thursday through Sunday. Book on OpenTable.