Kizaru, a Japanese izakaya from Hong Kong hospitality pioneers Christopher Mark and Vidur Yadav in partnership with acclaimed chef Shun Sato, has officially opened at Montien Mall, adjacent to the historic Montien Hotel Surawong. Inspired by Tokyo’s backstreets, Kizaru channels the uninhibited energy of Tokyo’s late-night izakayas; intimate, sociable and always open to one more round.
Behind its doors, the mood is one of loosened neckties, clinking sake cups and dinners that get better a few drinks deep. The intimate open kitchen brings chefs and guests into the same orbit, creating an informal, animated setting for spontaneous evenings that begin with food and continue long after anyone intended. Currently in its soft-opening phase, Kizaru is now welcoming Bangkok’s local diners, Japanese community, international residents and visitors.
“Surawong has an incredible heritage, and placing Kizaru between this iconic neighbourhood and the creative energy of nearby Samyan and Talat Noi was a deliberate choice,” says Christopher Mark, Co-founder of Kizaru. “We wanted to recreate the unpretentious magnetism of Tokyo’s backstreet dining scene, a place where people can leave workplace hierarchy at the door, share exceptional food and let the night unfold naturally.”
Born into the izakaya business in Sendai, Chef Shun Sato draws on experience in leading kitchens across Tokyo, Sydney, London and Hong Kong to push familiar Japanese dishes in unexpected directions. The sharing-style menu moves from Chanjya Tofu, Takowasa and Miso Cream Cheese to jet-fresh Hamachi, Salmon and Chutoro sashimi, charcoal-grilled yakitori, crisp tempura and premium Wagyu Steak. Signature dishes include the Fire Scallop, arriving tableside on a plate dancing with blue flames, while evolving specials ensure the menu is never treated as entirely finished.
The drinks programme channels the sociable spirit of tachinomi, Japan’s standing-drinking culture, bringing Japanese drinks, savoury bites and spontaneous conversation together. Ice-cold beers and whisky highballs ease guests into the evening before an extensive selection of regional sake takes over, including unpasteurised bottles rarely found outside Japan. Curated pairings complement Chef Shun’s cooking, and adds to Kizaru’s boundary-pushing personality.
“At its core, Kizaru is about the connection between food, drink and people,” adds Vidur Yadav, Co-founder of Kizaru. “Chef Shun takes familiar Japanese dishes somewhere unexpected, and the drinks programme is designed to keep pace with those flavours. Guests may arrive for a quick bite after work, but everything is intended to prompt the inevitable ‘one more’ round.”
With views of Surawong outside and sake flowing inside, Kizaru offers Bangkok a place to eat, drink, and let the evening run a little later than planned, one “screw it, I’ll have another” at a time.
