San Diego's Hidden Fish Omakase-Only Eatery Takes Over Neighboring Space In Kearny Mesa For New Japanese Concept & Sake Lounge

October 3, 2019

The owner of San Diego's omakase-only Hidden Fish sushi bar has taken over the neighboring space to open Hitokuchi, an experimental small bite Japanese concept and sake lounge set to open early next year.

Hidden Fish opened in September 2018 within a small retail plaza off San Diego's bustling Convoy Street. The restaurant offers an intimate experience with only 13 seats and 50 or 90-minute seating options. Owner and chef John "Kappa" Hong has made a name for himself by offering a sushi experience where each piece of fish is hand crafted as an exhibition of culinary art, so much so that the New York Times published a glowing review of the 1,000 square-foot, omakase-exclusive restaurant.

Due to popularity and a need for more space, Hidden Fish has recently taken over the neighboring retail unit most recently occupied by a massage parlor and will open a sister concept. Called Hitokuchi, which loosely translates to "morsel" and "sip" in Japanese, the eatery will serve multi-course, amuse-bouche-sized mini dishes of Japanese cuisine, not limited to nigiri, with ingredients sources from around the globe including direct from Japan’s renowned Tsukiji Fish Market. There will also be a menu of specialty beers, including exclusive Japanese varieties, as well as wine and an expansive list of sake.

"For the raw side of the menu, we'll focus on crudos," explained Chef Kappa. "Basically sashimi dishes all bite size with a modern twist. For the hot food, we will focus on small bites pairing with a large variety of sake. As a chef, I focus a lot on umami and how to bring out the best flavors on ingredients I use. Each bite at Hitokuchi will be umami."

Hitokuchi is expected to open as early as May 2020 at 4764 Convoy St., Ste B, in Kearny Mesa. For more information, visit hiddenfishsushi.com.