Oishi Owners Set Opening Date For New Doylestown Restaurant
DOYLESTOWN, PA — Coronavirus may have delayed it, but it's happening soon: Omiza, a new Pan-Asian restaurant from the owners of Newtown hotspots Oishi and KO, will be opening in Doylestown in early September.
Omiza, located on Main Street across from Buckman's Ski Shop, had originally planned a late winter debut. But, like many other things, the coronavirus pandemic changed that.
Owner John Im, whose family is bracing to open its third Bucks County restaurant, said it's been a hectic push to finally get the doors open. "We're just adjusting to the whole new normal and it's been really challenging," he said.
Restaurants in Bucks County are still only permitted to operate with limited indoor capacity — 25 percent currently — but the strength of the takeout business at the family's other two establishments has allowed them to fare pretty well during the pandemic, Im said.
At Omiza, Im has reconfigured the floor plan to accommodate for social distancing. The interior is a big space with high-ceilings, he explained, so it wasn't hard to work up a pandemic-proof configuration. He anticipates even with the restrictions, there will be inside seating for about 60.
Plus, the new spot will have an outdoor tent that will be able to seat around 60 guests.
Omiza has been in the works for years: Construction on the 7,500-square-foot restaurant began in 2017. A March opening was originally targeted, but then the pandemic put the brakes on the project.
"We had to stop everything," Im said. By mid summer, the Im family resumed preparations on its Doylestown restaurant, all while scrambling to reopen Oishi and KO in Newtown.
"It's like we've had three openings within the last two and a half months," Im said, adding it's been "very hectic" to hire and train enough staff. Many of Im's long-time employees at the existing restaurants have not yet returned to work due to the pandemic.
Omiza — a Korean word with a similar meaning to the Japanese word umami — will offer a wide variety of Asian flavors.
It will open with a somewhat limited menu that still includes a sizable number of options, Im explained. As the staff settles into the new space, additional dishes will be included on the menu.
The menu to be offered during the early September opening includes a range of sushi items, bento boxes, noodles, dumplings, and, of course, Korean barbecue. (You can see the menus below.
Im has purchased 16 special Korean barbecue tables, and many will be in use inside even during the capacity restrictions.
The tables, special ordered from Korea, have an intricate down draft system so as not to leave diners feeling smoky from their dinner, Im explained. Smoke is pulled down to an underground ventilation system while the table generates just the right amount of heat. The result: a piece of perfectly charred meat without the smoky aftermath.
Never had Korean barbecue? Here's what the experience is like:
Guests typically order a variety of sharable starters to pick and choose from as the grill is heating up. The main course of meat, which can be pork, ribeye, filet, and more, is delivered to the table seasoned. The server walks each table through the meal, getting the meat started on the grill and aiding in the dining experience.
As it's cooking you can pick and choose your combinations right from the grill, wrapping meat with fresh and pickled vegetables and dipping it sauces, among other flavors.
Omiza has a large bar and lounge area, but the restrictions will prevent that space from immediately being used by guests.
Reservations will be strongly encouraged. A reservations system is forthcoming on the website. Until then, you can inquire about reservations by emailing rsvp@omizarestaurant.com
You can view the full menu here.
This article originally appeared on the Newtown Patch
