Now, it’s Cape Coral’s turn.
In August, Chef Brad Kilgore and entrepreneur Brad Cozza teamed up to open the trendy OISE Ristorante in downtown Fort Myers.
Since then, its unique menu — a fusion of Japanese and Italian cuisines — and themed cocktails have made this First Street venue wildly popular.
Cape Coral is about to get a taste of that concept when the Brads open OISE-Ushi in downtown Cape Coral in mid-December.
“It’s a baby OISE,” Cozza said of the concept. “This will be more laid-back in a beautiful environment. It’s less formal and more fun.”
The boutique sushi bar will be nestled in Escondido Lounge, another Kilgore and Cozza project that recently opened next door to Taco Works off 47th Terrace in South Cape. Unlike Escondido, there will be signage for OSIE-Ushi along Cape Coral Parkway and at the only entrance off 47th Terrace. Access to Escondido will be through OISE-Ushi.
“I looked it up,” Cozza said. “It’s the only sushi bar inside a speakeasy in the country.”
While OISE has Italian dishes and sushi on its menu, OISE-Ushi will focus on OISE’s sushi.
Options on the sushi side include the same popular unagi (barbecue-glazed eel, chipotle aioli, black sesame mayo, wasabi tobiko and cilantro), spicy tuna and dynamite crab rolls that customers enjoy at OISE.
“Anything (sushi-wise) that is at OISE will be here,” Cozza said. “Plus, we will have Temaki hand rolls and skewers here.”
Expertly crafted hand rolls include chicken karrage (Furikake candied bacon, butter pickle Fresno chili, Yuzu-truffle ranch), and the vegetarian Corn Elote (blistered baby corn, miso-aji aioli, marinated shiitake, cilantro sprouts, Tajin).
There will be three skewers, “for non-sushi eaters,” including chili garlic shrimp, sweet soy peppercorn steak and glazed chicken thigh.
“Even though this is a slightly consolidated version of the full OISE Ristorante menu, we want our guests to feel like they can enjoy a complete meal at OISE-Ushi by adding the array of Yakitori skewers to the menu,” Kilgore said in a news release.
Rangoon, charred edamame & shitake salad and tuna crispy rice round out the main menu.
Three of OSIE’s best-selling cocktails will make their way to the Cape Coral location — the Litchitini, Yuzumisu margarita and the Poinsettia Old Fashioned with hibiscus and cranberry.
A dessert list is also on the way, including cake slices and Kilgore’s tiramisu.
“This really is a great date night spot,” Coza said. “Award-winning sushi, cocktails, music — all connected to one property.”
And it’s gorgeous.
It has the same look and feel as the downtown location — from the live wall growing behind the bar to the modern lighting and faux skylights in the ceiling.
“All the plants give it a Zen feeling,” Cozza said.
The space is small and intimate, with just six seats — first-come, first-served — at the live-oak bar brought in from North Carolina. A sushi bar (yet to be installed) will seat four more and run parallel to the main bar. A few tables immediately inside the door bump the total number of seats up to 20.
But not to worry. Orders can be placed in Escondido and run over from OSIE-Ushi’s kitchen.
“We’re just doing the last fits, finishes and final tuneups, and we will be ready to open,” Cozza said.
We’ve already gotten a taste of OISE in Fort Myers, and we can’t wait for South Cape to experience it too.
OISE-Ushi, coming in mid-December to 1019 Cape Coral Parkway E, Cape Coral; entry will be through 47th Terrace, next to Taco Works; follow on Facebook for more.
Robyn George is a food and dining reporter for The News-Press. Connect at rhgeorge@fortmyer.gannett.com
Dining and Cooking