Prolific Asiatown Restaurateur Mike Tran Is Almost Ready to Open His New Izakaya

After nearly two years in the works, Asiatown restaurateur Mike Tran is preparing to open his much-anticipated new izakaya Toukei sooner rather than later.

A permit application filed with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission indicates that Tran is currently in the process of filing for a liquor license and food and beverage certificate for the restaurant at 9630 Clarewood Drive, right next door to his udon restaurant Ishin. Via his Instagram account, Tran has shared sneak peeks inside the space, which is currently under construction, over the past few weeks.

We’ve known that Toukei has been in the works since at least 2017, when the restaurateur registered its name with the Texas Secretary of State. When he opened his most recent restaurant, popular udon spot Ishin, Tran told CultureMap that Toukei would be a true izakaya, with its own wood-burning grill, extensive selection of Japanese booze, and chef’s counter where seafood dishes will be prepared in front of guests.

The chef tells Eater that construction on the space should be completed in the next couple of months, and he plans to set an opening date once he’s secured a liquor license for Toukei. Stay tuned for more updates on its arrival.

Update, 2:18 p.m.: This post has been updated to reflect additional details on Toukei’s opening timeline.

• Mike Tran Just Can’t Stop Opening Restaurants [EHOU]
• Sneak peek: Chinatown chef’s new spot serves up Japanese comfort food [CultureMap]