Scott Kim’s izakaya or pub Sasa, located in Shaker Square, is known to be one of Cleveland’s most imaginative restaurants, with its merging of Asian and Western sensibilities.
Chef Kim’s next venture promises to be just as imaginative and flavorful. Accent is expected to open in the Uptown project in University Circle next spring. Kim will join Jonathon Sawyer of Greenhouse Tavern and Noodlecat, who is considering putting up a restaurant featuring an Italian-inspired menu at another space in the project. Also signed on to the location are Constantino’s Market, Panera Bread, Chipotle, Jimmy John’s and ABC the Tavern, a popular spot on West 25th Street in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood, which has agreed to open a second location at Uptown.
Chef Kim explains that Accent will be a robata restaurant, serving a modernized version of the traditional Japanese yakitori. “Basically, we’re skewering a lot of meat and vegetables and grilling it on top of special grills,” he said.
He saw an opportunity to present a different aspect of Eastern cuisine at Uptown, and went on to say, “This will be a pan-Asian menu, and I will bring in Korean and Chinese and Japanese–and Western, American–flavors.”
Bento boxes will also make up many of the offerings at Accent. “We want to put a lot of different flavors in the bento, so your mind and tongue are both excited,” he said.
The chef has a lot of plans already in store for the place, including how it will look, and the general feel he envisions for the place. “It’s not going to be a chichi place,” he said, “I want everyone to feel comfortable there.”
