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<\/p>\nUniform slices of buttery yellowtail dotted with thin coins of serrano and crunchy radish in a bright ponzu sauce, accented by herbaceous cilantro leaves. A fresh bite or two of yellowtail belly with ponzu jelly and serrano. Japanese milk bread topped with bluefin tuna belly, Japanese uni, pickled wasabi stem, caviar and truffle ponzu.<\/p>\n
These were some of the offerings at a recent pop-up previewing the food coming to O-Ku, a new Japanese restaurant opening in Tampa next week.<\/p>\n
The modern Japanese spot will showcase seafood sourced from Toyosu Market in Tokyo and a pedigree of veteran industry leadership.It\u2019s set to open Thursday.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThat\u2019s what I think makes O-Ku stand out, is our ability to be able to come up with creative new ideas for signature nigiris and dishes,\u201d executive chef Billy Brannen said by phone Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Brannen got his start working at a family-run Japanese restaurant in Savannah, Georgia, almost 20 years ago. He journeyed through several positions, working his way up to the sushi bar.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s where I got \u201chooked,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
After honing his skills for over a decade in sushi restaurants in Savannah, Brannen wanted a larger platform on which to execute.<\/p>\n
On a culinary exchange program in Japan in 2025, Brannen saw omakase places using things like dashi jelly and was inspired to make his own iteration. The result: ponzu jelly.<\/p>\n
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O-Ku has a vast dinner menu, from robata-style (charcoal-grilled) items to sushi rolls, with a varied selection of chef specialties, entrees, temaki (hand rolls) and ishayaki (stone-grilled) options. Both the Hamachi Carpaccio and the nigiri Hama Toro dishes will be available on the opening menu.<\/p>\n
The food lineup seems built for both connoisseurs and the uninitiated.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe always give homage to the tradition, but we want to implement different styles of cooking and ingredients,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The culinary director of O-Ku is Tokyo native Masatomo Hamaya, who cut his teeth leading kitchens such as Uchiko in Austin, Texas, and Ozumo in San Francisco, California. O-Ku is under the banner of Charleston, South Carolina-based Indigo Road Hospitality Group founded by restaurateur Steve Palmer.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe (Hamaya) has a wealth of knowledge,\u201d Brannen said. \u201cHe\u2019s certainly someone that I can go to when I\u2019m trying to push the dish over the edge and get that one missing component.\u201d<\/p>\n
As we enter red snapper season (beginning just a day after opening on May 22), the restaurant will offer it pan-seared, or some variation of a Gulf fish, Brannen said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m also going to do a lobster and shrimp dumpling, and I\u2019m going to use Gulf shrimp,\u201d he said. \u201cAny way I can weave in some locality into the menu, I\u2019m certainly going to do my best.\u201d<\/p>\n
Expect signature cocktails like the Soft Spoken, a Japanese-tinged version of a gin sour, with yuzu as the citrus component. A full spirit list, zero-proof options, wine, draft and packaged beer are also available.<\/p>\n
We want to \u201chighlight Japanese products that help bridge the gap between our beverage and kitchen program,\u201d bar lead Camden Harris said.<\/p>\n
Sake selections range from Kubota\u2019s Manjyu, a pure rice sake that is crisp, dry and floral, to the nutty and tropical cask-strength Funaguchi from Kikusui.<\/p>\n
O-Ku is located on the ground floor of Bayshore Gardens in South Tampa, while sister concept Maru is located on the rooftop<\/a> of the same building.O-Ku\u2019s interior has light wood tones and dim lighting, giving the space a \u201chomey\u201d feel, Brannen said.<\/p>\n 2907 W. Bay to Bay Blvd. o-kusushi.com<\/a><\/p>\n We\u2019d love to know where you go for Japanese food. Tell us in the comments.<\/p>\n \u2022 \u2022 \u2022<\/p>\n Meet the Food Hub<\/a>, a team of Times journalists dedicated to covering Tampa Bay\u2019s dining scene. You can support our work through our journalism fund<\/a>.<\/p>\n Want food news weekly in your inbox? Sign up for our newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Top 50 Restaurants: Check out our food critic\u2019s list<\/a> of the area\u2019s best spots.<\/p>\n Follow our updates on the local restaurant landscape on Instagram at @tampabaytimesfood<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/69f97ae2308c28db370de8328ab3b68d.jpeg\"\/)
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