Actor William Levy joins the Design District’s culinary fold with the alluring Okami.
Misoyaki black cod with puffed quinoa, hajikame and yamamomo PHOTO BY CHRISTINA JARAMILLO/COURTESY OF OMAKI
With his good looks and Men’s Health physique, William Levy is well versed in the politics of charm. But these days, the actor is doing his seducing through taste.
Together with partner Pedro Orihuela, Levy has added restaurateur to his list of accomplishments with the opening of Okami, a Nikkei restaurant and lounge in the Design District.
Okami co-owner William Levy WILLIAM LEVY PHOTO BY ALEX TAMARGO/GETTY IMAGES
It’s clear Levy and Orihuela have done their homework when it comes to ambiance. Adjacent to the Prada boutique, visitors first encounter Okami (Japanese for wolf) through the Jade courtyard, an outdoor seating area with limestone facades and lush green foliage. Once inside, up the stairs anchored by a brass wolf sculpture is the second-level dining room, a sensual space where no detail has been overlooked. From the tufted sofas and handmade tableware to the crystal chandelier designed to look like a floating jellyfish and black granite bar with private whiskey lockers, Okami’s glamour intentions are clear.
Roasted beetroot salad.PHOTO BY CHRISTINA JARAMILLO/COURTESY OF OMAKI
In terms of cuisine, Levy and Orihuela tapped chef Hajime Kasuga to lead the kitchen. A third-generation Japanese descendant, Kasuga was raised in Peru before he went on to helm restaurants in Jakarta and all around Indonesia. In Miami, he’s putting all that training to good use with a menu of Nikkei classics, as well as sushi, sashimi, nigiri and fresh seafood. Starters include both cold selections (tataki, sea urchin) and hot, the prime example of which is the del Ahiru slow-cooked duck breast with coriander and edamame. A tasting menu covers all the bases with selections such as roasted beetroot salad, misoyaki black cod with puffed quinoa and yuzu Key lime pie with umeboshi raspberry jelly. Rolls such as the lomito, made with beef tenderloin, zucchini and chimichurri, and the Okami, with eel, foie gras and gold flakes, as well as an inventive mixology program complete the experience. 156 NE 41st St., Miami, 786.801.1969, okamimiami.com
Photography by: WILLIAM LEVY PHOTO BY ALEX TAMARGO/GETTY IMAGES; all other photos by CHRISTINA JARAMILLO/COURTESY OF OMAKI
