IZAKAYA-WA OPENING REAL SOON IN MEMORIAL 
Eater Houston’s Darla Guillen reports that that Japanese izakaya-style restaurant and bar that a Swamplot reader in August reported would be opening in the Memorial Bend Shopping Park will be opening this Wednesday. And Guillen suspects that the location just inside the Beltway at 12665 Memorial Dr. could very well prove to be very well chosen: “It seems that the restaurant’s proximity to some Japanese corporations will likely encourage a strong Japanese following.” [Eater Houston; previously on Swamplot] Photo: Houston Sushi
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It will be interesting question as to whether a place can appeal to two distinct crowds: the Japanese expat business community and domestic foodie/hipster types (no offense intended). Back when I had more interaction with the former group, I discovered that the places they tended to like were not popular with the latter crowd. That was some time ago, so I dunno if that has changed. I haven’t been to Uchi, but can anyone comment on whether they get much business from Japanese, especially the business crowd?
The Japanese business crowd usually likes something more exotic, it usually involves girls and octopus and … well you get the picture.
Having been to Uchi, I can tell you there are not many Japanese there unless they’re cutting fish.
This non-Japanese unhip domestic foodie will be dropping in to check it out. I am very thankful for some more food diversity out here in the sticks. Lovely as these sticks may be.
This was the original location of Indika and if the restaurant is run well and serves good food, people will come, regardless of where they come from. Look at Sushi Jin. 20+ years and further out than Izakaya Wa. Still doing well.
Ah, behind BBVA Compass Bank? That’s interesting, I used to live near there. I don’t know about Uchi, but “back when” there seemed to be 2 main classes of Japanese restaurants here: (1) owned by Chinese with Guatemalan cooks and (2) owned by Koreans with Vietnamese servers. (Notice I said “seemed” to be :-) A friend once said, “food doesn’t have to be authentic to be good” and I agree. But, I did make me smile sometimes. And, I know there are some that involve real, live Japanese people. Not sure if Mr. Yoshida still owns the place on Montrose, but I know he employed a number of young Japanese folks there.