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Hyderabad: The city’s F&B scene might be just finally catching up with the big leagues, with one of Mumbai’s most well-known Japanese restaurant Izumi now finally coming to Hyderabad. With a soft launch about a fortnight ago, the restaurant quietly opened up to the public, only dinners initially.

In Hyderabad, Izumi’s partners – Anil Zahir Kably, Neale Murray, Owen Roncon and Chef Nooresha Kably-have joined hands with Viksit Hospitality’s Vickas Passary, Kshitij Mohan Bhuraria, Dhruv Agarwal, and Ashwini Maisekar. The Japanese restaurant shares building space with recently opened speciality coffee shop Naad and resto-bar Kadamba.

Izumi, which first launched in Mumbai and Goa, brings its refined approach to Japanese cuisine for an experience that looks to offer something beyond the regular ‘South-East Asian’ mix that otherwise many places offer.

“For Chef Nooresha, co-founder and theculinary force behind Izumi, the Hyderabad opening feels especially personal. Years ago, while still studying, Hyderabad became one of the first cities where she briefly got a taste for hospitality,” said a release from Izumi, on its launch. Located just between Jubilee Hills and Hitech city, across the Durgam Cheruvu lake, the restaurant’s Hyderabad branch is also larger than its Mumbai and Goa spaces.

Hyderabad for the win over Bengaluru

The launch is also interesting for Hyderabad, as the city was chosen over its closest rival Bengaluru. With better roads and reasonably better traffic, Hyderabad’s hungry patrons will finally have a niche space for Japanese food. It may be noted that Bengaluru also boasts of having Naru Noodle Bar, a quaint 20-seater space serving Japanese food, where one has to play with fate to get a reservation (given how difficult it is).

“The decision to open in Hyderabad felt both natural and deeply personal because  when  I was in my early twenties my family moved to Hyderabad for two years  and I worked in hospitality. Hyderabad became home for a while and work in a hotel got my attention. Over the years, we’ve welcomed countless guests from Hyderabad at our restaurants in Goa and Mumbai, and their appreciation for what we do has always stood out,” said chef Nooresha and co-founder of Izumi.

Much of the crockery has also been specially sourced from Japan and other travels here, to add authenticity and detail to the overall dining experience. “Taking centre stage in the new space, the Sushi counter serves everything from the Bluefin Chutoro, Smoked Hamachi, and Scorched Scallop Nigiri, alongside rolls like the Futomaki and the Chutoro & Pickled Daikon Roll,” added the release.