Coming Soon: Wasabi

There's something delightfully futuristic about plucking your dinner off a conveyor belt. The first time I encountered conveyor-belt dining at YO! Sushi in London, I remember thinking that this is what people back in the 1950s must have envisioned when they thought about restaurants of the future.

London-based chef Miguel Choy is bringing a modification of that Japanese "kaiten" dining concept to Farragut Square sometime this spring with Wasabi. The space is still under construction, but people were working inside (always a good sign) when I stopped by Monday.

"The food will be healthy and modern," Choy told Metrocurean via e-mail. "It will be based on traditional Japanese cuisine, but will introduce western flavours, particularly those from Latin-America." (No groaning from the peanut gallery!)

The chef also said that by merging conveyor-belt delivery with an upscale environment, his London restaurants have been successful. "This allows customers to enjoy dining at their own pace, whether it is a quick lunch or a leisurely dinner," Choy said in the e-mail. That could be good news for those working in the surrounding offices.

According to the Web site for Yuzu Restaurants, co-founded by Choy, the chef also had a hand in London's popular YO! Sushi and K10 restaurants. I'll be fishing more details on the menu and design, so stay tuned.

Wasabi
908 17th St. NW