CHARLESTON — A new restaurant is set to debut in the heart of downtown’s nightlife and dining district.
Shokudô (show-ku-DOH), from the hospitality group behind O-Ku, Oak Steakhouse and Indaco, will open to the public Oct. 30. The new establishment, located in the former home of Mexican spot Maya, promises Japanese cuisine cooked by a chef and partner who grew up there.
Masatomo “Masa” Hamaya, who was born and raised in Japan and went to culinary school in Tokyo, was tapped to lead Shokudô by Indigo Road Hospitality Group President Steve Palmer. He joined the concept — new to the hospitality group’s roster of 40-plus restaurants — after serving as culinary director of O-Ku, whose original King Street location has spawned successful replicas in Greenville; Charlotte; Washington, D.C.; Nashville, Tenn.; and other cities across the South.
Where O-Ku is defined by its sushi offerings, Shokudô is a tavern-style love letter to robata cooking, which involves the roasting of meat, seafood and vegetables, often on skewers, over a flaming hot charcoal grill.
The chef described the new establishment as an approachable expression of the food of his home country. While the vibe is intended to be laid-back, the food will be serious.
Hamaya is aging his own fish and sourcing from local purveyors like Tarvin Seafood and Abundant Seafood. He is using white fish that swim near the East Coast, such as vermillion snapper, to produce crudos and ceviches, including one that features citrus-marinated fish set atop a toasted tart made of sourdough. He calls it a Tart Tartare Tartlet.
Local dishes, in addition to the area’s fresh catch, have inspired Hamaya since he moved to Charleston.
Shokudô’s korokke, similar to a croquette, was spawned after the chef tasted She Crab soup. The fried bite is filled with a fresh crab and bechamel-like filling bolstered by the crustacean’s innards, similar to the use of the crab roe that gives the iconic Lowcountry soup its name.
When it comes to larger plates, patrons can expect ramen, grilled meats and inventive compositions like the Tarvin Seafood shrimp gnocchi made of Japanese sweet potatoes and tapioca starch. The dish is one example of how Shokudô showcases Hamaya’s upbringing and culinary perspective.
“I would like to add some story behind it,” Hamaya said, discussing how it feels to finally have a restaurant he can call his own. “I am honored.”
Seats can be reserved inside the dining room, while the more energetic and communal outdoor Japanese beer garden — inspired in part by Golden Gai, an enclave in Tokyo’s Shinjuku neighborhood featuring hundreds of dive bars and robata-style eateries — will be first-come, first-served. The bar program will lean into sake and whiskey, Hamaya said.
Shokudô’s initial opening hours will be 4-10 p.m. Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday, and 4-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday. For more information, visit shokudochs.com.
Dining and Cooking