KAIYŌ Rooftop is San Francisco’s latest rooftop bar and lounge to see and be seen. KAIYŌ is a recent Peruvian Nikkei bar and lounge owned and operated by San Francisco restaurateur John Park of Brick x Brick Hospitality Group, who additionally owns KAIYŌ restaurant in Cow Hole. With revolutionary cocktails and scrumptious meals in a energetic, stylish setting overlooking your entire San Francisco skyline, this rooftop is certainly one of only a few spots within the metropolis that gives the sort of vibe and ambiance.

The rooftop options up to date decor mixing each Japanese and Peruvian design accents, vibrant pops of coloration, and plush greenery. Company are greeted by a floor-to-ceiling pop artwork mural as they step off the elevator, which units the temper for this Amazon oasis. And from the rooftop, friends can absorb sprawling views of the town spanning from Twin Peaks to the Bay Bridge. It’s very best for a sundown.

The open-concept rooftop cocktail bar and lounge includes a distinctive meals and beverage program that focuses on Nikkei, a definite cultural delicacies developed over centuries in Peru, following the Japanese emigration to the nation. Nikkei seamlessly blends the elements and spices of Peru with the culinary methods of Japan making for an unbelievable mixture of wealthy taste and total delicacies, one which’s rooted in historical past.

On the helm of this kitchen is Peruvian Chef Alex Reccio, whose delicacies can also be showcased on the different KAIYŌ restaurant, whereas Chef Rafael Campo joins KAIYŌ because the sushi chef, making a curated Nikkei sushi program. Menu highlights embody Nikkei Ribs – pork ribs, home made smokey nikkei bbq sauce, aji amarillo cole slaw, cracked chanca; Bluefin Tuna Toast with crispy rice toast, avocado cream, sashimi model chuttoro, micro; Tai Tiradito with Japanese snapper, aji amarillo creamy leche de tigre, smokey yam puree, micro cilantro, cracked cancha; and the Lima Roll (Torched) with shrimp tempura, yellowtail, avocado, rocoto aioli, cilantro aioli, unagi sauce, shiso chiffonade.

And on the middle stage of this rooftop is the beverage program, led by Bar Supervisor Carl Brown. The rooftop opened with 10 new Nikkei-inspired cocktails using each Japanese and Peruvian elements. Highlights embody Prince of the Solar with Barsol pisco, agricole rum, white miso, lemon mint, absinthe, lime and yuzu soda; Citadel within the Sky with white sesame infused Dickel Rye, Martini & Rossi Ambrato, sesame honey, port, Amaro Nonino, Chunco Bitters; and the Boro the Caterpillar with Seedlip Backyard, cucumber juice, white miso, lemon, tonic.

We chatted with John Park, Managing Associate, Brick x Brick Hospitality Group, on the inspiration behind KAIYŌ, the menu and bar program, Peruvian Nikkei and extra.

Right here’s what he needed to say.

What was the inspiration behind the vibes and environment of Kaiyo?

Previous to the pandemic, San Francisco’s “hustle and bustle” life-style can usually be overwhelming. I wished to supply our friends methods to disconnect from their busy lives and expertise Kaiyo’s meals and cocktails in a memorable means. Peru being so near the Amazon, I drew my design and environment inspirations from the luxurious greenery setting the Amazon is thought for. We like to consider KAIYŌ Rooftop as a tropical oasis that evokes a sense of trip or escapism.

There aren’t many rooftops in SF — how do you propose on benefiting from that?

Being a rooftop bar in SF already sparks fast curiosity with the locals however while you add the sweeping views of the SF downtown skyline and the Bay Bridge, it actually stirs up loads of pleasure and buzz. Typically I remind my administration crew, “let’s not neglect, finally this view will get outdated. Let the great thing about the house draw our prospects in however let’s maintain them coming again by providing crave-able meals and cocktails and offering memorable visitor service.”

Was it robust to snag such a primary rooftop spot within the first place?

The landlords reached out to me so it was not essentially laborious to “snag” this house. Nonetheless, the work I put in to create a portfolio of nice cocktails bars and a restaurant idea was very robust. I do consider it was the laborious work and the inventive manufacturers I personal and handle is what introduced me to this distinctive property.

Discuss in regards to the delicacies — there aren’t too many locations specializing in Peruvian Nikkei. What precisely is it? Why is it distinctive?

The story of Peruvian Nikkei isn’t something new. Diasporas have been cooking conventional dishes with native and accessible elements of their group endlessly. Equally, Japanese immigrants migrated to Peru within the early 1900’s. They settled and rapidly observed the abundance of recent seafood, greens, and fruits that existed in Peru. Eager to prepare dinner for the native Peruvians, Japanese immigrants ready conventional Japanese dishes with Peruvian elements.

Not like different cuisines that advanced from diasporas, Peruvian Nikkei is actually distinctive as a result of synergy between the 2 cultures and cuisines. Japanese delicacies was already seafood pushed however when the luxurious abundance of fruits & greens had been launched, it actually created an explosion of distinctive flavors that may solely be present in Nikkei Delicacies.

Discuss in regards to the cocktail program and specialty drinks.

My bar supervisor, Carl Brown, and I had loads of enjoyable growing this menu, primarily as a result of there isn’t a robust identification nor understanding what precisely Nikkei impressed cocktails are on this world. Our interpretation of Nikkei cocktails was nearly a clean canvas.

Working with savory elements like miso and infusing spirits with Peruvian peppers and balancing it with Japanese and Peruvian fruits was a dream. I consider we’re simply scratching the floor on the subject of Nikkei cocktails. On a regular basis we’re discovering inventive concepts and approaches to scrumptious, distinctive, and inventive Nikkei cocktails with so many elements we are able to work with!

How has the reception been?

Few phrases come to thoughts. Superb! Craziness! And Humbled! Now we have been extraordinarily busy since our opening day. Our books have crammed up 30 days out inside the identical day we took our reservation hyperlink stay. We’re actually excited and humbled by the keenness and curiosity for Kaiyo Rooftop!

Keep up-to-date on my food-filled adventures and travels on my Instagram, @cheycheyfromthebay.