RSS FeedSEI Restaurant Opening Soon…Real Soon (444 7th St NW)
It’s been a while in the making but we can now happily report that the brown wrapper is off the windows, the interior is getting its finishing touches, the final paint applications are drying and an opening for Sei Restaurant & Lounge (444 7th Street NW) is in sight. Not only is it in sight, it’s imminent. A soft opening (family and friends only) is planned within the next few days and a public opening is planned for Monday, January 12. What’s there to know about this newest sushi inspired DC restaurant and lounge? Check after the break for more…
If all goes as planned, the Santoy Hospitality Group who also owns Oya close by on 9th Street NW will be opening SEI at 444 7th Street NW to the public on Monday, January 12 with dinner service offered at the opening. The space was formerly occupied by Pua Naturally a clothing boutique now at 701 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Market Square (entrance on 7th Street NW). Errol Lawrence and Nancy Koide designed the SEI concept and reservations will be available via OpenTable – both lunch and dinner will be offered during inauguration weekend. Lunch service as a regular option will be offered once SEI is up and running for a bit.
Modern Asian cuisine by Noriaki Yasutake (sushi master) and Avinesh Ranav (chef), both formerly from Perry’s in Adams Morgan, will be the main mission. For dining, the interior will accomodate about fifty at tables and another dozen or so at the sushi bar who will be able to enjoy a variety of items including traditional sushi, specialty rolls and other Asian fare. The specialty roll menu has a few items making us lick our lips such as the SEI Caesar Salad, Fish and Chips and Kobe Tataki. Not your average rolls. The sake list has been specially selected by sommelier Andrew Stover and we can happily report that our favorite unfiltered dessert sake (rice wine), the Poochi Poochi Nigori, is on the list. The list includes nigori (unfiltered), kunshu (fragrant), shoshu (light/smooth) and junshu (rich) sakes.
As far as the interior goes, we’ll just have to wait until they open to see the final result. There was lots of activity still going on when we visited but from what we saw and read, we think it will be stylish, inviting and delicious.
Sei Restaurant & Lounge
444 7th Street, NW
Monday – Thursday: 5:30pm – 10:00pm
Friday & Saturday: 5:00pm – 10:00pm
Sunday: 5:00pm – 9:00pm
www.seirestaurant.com
202-783-7007
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Comments
I can’t wait! I have been waiting toooo long for this opening – walking past the site every day hoping to see signs of life in there. I’m crossing my fingers and hoping it’s good!
It’s too bad that they are only open for dinner as I’m always looking for a new lunch option. With all the offices nearby, I bet they could do a sweet sushi take out business.
Dinner Only? – we added a sentence to clarify that they intend to provide lunch service once they’ve been open for a bit. didn’t mean to imply it will be dinner only as an ongoing concern.
Hi..yes Lunch is coming soon! Just give us a few weeks and we plan to offer lunch as well. I have some cool wines lined up too…including our new private house blend called YIN that I blended with a winery in Southern California.
Will there be similar happy hour specials to sister restaurant Oya? Their half-price sushi happy hour is the best deal in town–particularly since it lasts until 8 pm!
I walked by tonight; it looks great!
I also noticed that no work seems to have been done on the Wagamama space. Any word about when Wagamama will open? It’s one of my favorite London restaurants!
How about posting a best neighborhood sushi poll in a couple of weeks after we’ve had a chance to try out this new spot? With all of the sushi spots in the neighborhood, it would be great to see which one is the people’s choice.
Sigh … I misread the headline for a second and thought that someone was moving into 777 4th St. Sadly, that retail space remains empty, as it has been ever since 300 Mass opened. But that sad state of affairs won’t stop me from heading over to SEI to get my sushi on!
Went last night — it’s another business account joint. A Bacardi and Coke is $11, Jack and Coke $11 and Grey Goose and soda is $13. There was a group of eight of us who hung out and had drinks at the bar for about two hours. The bill for just drinks was over $550 and the bartender did not hook up a single drink. In this economy, good luck, Sei.
I agree with anon. I went last night as well and found that the sushi menu only occupied one side of one page of their 10+ page menu. If you’re looking for a place with expensive drinks, then Sei is the place to go. Decor was very nice and upscale. You can definitely tell that this place is run by the same people as Oya.
I, personally, would not call Sei my neighborhood sushi restaurant. Momiji (505 H St) still holds that title.
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Very cool! What’s the word on its twin, Ray?