Lower Kirby’s First ‘True’ Izakaya Lands Next Week

Next week, Shun Japanese Kitchen is set to bring a “true izakaya” to Lower Kirby.

The restaurant at 2802 South Shepherd Drive is set to kick open the doors on Tuesday, October 16, according to a Facebook post. Initially, the restaurant will be BYOB for “several weeks,” as it is still waiting on a final permit to serve alcohol from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Former Nippon chef and Shun owner Naoki Yoshida will helm the restaurant’s sushi menu, and former Triniti sous chef Nick Hill will serve as executive chef.

As far as the food is concerned, diners can look forward to a pretty innovative slate of dishes, ranging from toro tartare and dumplings stuffed with carnitas to the restaurant’s riff on kakigori, a Japanese shaved ice dessert, topped with sake syrup. The attention to detail at Shun is pretty intense — even the ubiquitous ginger served alongside the sushi rolls will be sliced thinly and pickled at the restaurant. At the sushi bar, diners will find smoked uni, bruleed toro (tuna belly) and a “DIY sushi” platter that allows sushi enthusiasts to assemble their own handrolls.

Shun will be open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Update: this post has been updated to reflect Shun Japanese Kitchen’s hours of operation and updated menu details.

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