Ura: Japanese Hospitality in Miami

Miami is about to get just a little closer to Japan with the upcoming opening of Ura, a 1700 square-foot members-only club led by renowned Tokyo sushi master, Hidefumi Namba. Meaning “back” or “reverse side” in Japanese, Ura aims to offer a one-of-a-kind experience combining Japanese aesthetics, relaxation, and entertainment, all centered around the art of authentic sushi crafted by a top shokunin. Entrepreneur brothers Samuel and Jose Tcherassi have brought this vision to life, with the design by Colombian firm, 5 Sōlidos, featuring a listening lounge, bar, and a lush Japanese garden. The highlight is the ten-seat counter dining room by Sushi Namba, a US counterpart to Namba-san’s Tokyo 8-seater, as well as a four-seat private dining room. Set to open this fall in Allapattah, a burgeoning artsy neighborhood, adjacent to Miami Design District, Ura promises a truly unique experience, and I am thrilled to be a part of it from the beginning.

Exclusive Appreciation

To streamline access and cultivate a close-knit community, Ura charges a one-time $10,000 membership fee, with a cap of around 300 members. This approach, akin to Japan’s high-end, non-bookable restaurant tradition, allows for a personalised dining experience that fosters a relationship between the patrons and chef based on appreciation and respect. Members will also gain exclusive entry to Sushi Namba and Bar Cocktailante Oboro in Tokyo, along with travel assistance for visits to Japan. This system is designed to emulate the Japanese tradition of establishing a deeper relationship between the restaurant and its clientele. Such exclusive, members-only dining and drinking establishments are well-established in Japan, with referral spots requiring prospective diners to be accompanied by a member or referred by a regular.

Culinary Excellence

Namba-san, whose Tokyo restaurant holds the Tabelog Gold Medal Award, the highest accolade by Japan’s most prestigious restaurant guide, is known for his obsession with the temperature of the rice, which he uses in his sushi. The mastery of the heat criterion allows the dishes to exist in their ultimate complementarity as each component is served at a precise temperature. 

“It’s not correct to serve different types of fish all at the same temperature. Fish is like wine, you can get better flavours at different temperatures. I discovered this around 8 years ago when making tuna “toro” which I have now perfected to be served with the fish at 24℃ and the Rice at 40℃. This allows the  tuna’s oil to melt with the heat of rice. You can feel the vinegar flavour and taste of “toro”  matching together to be the best,” explains Namba-san. 

All Ura ingredients, including fish, selected personally daily by Namba from the Toyosu market in Tokyo, will be flown in from Japan three times a week. Sushi Namba’s Miami branch will be headed by Namba’s long term senior apprentice Yuma Takanashi. The sake and wine offerings will include some of the most exclusive sakes from Japan, the same selection as in Tokyo. 

Bar Cocktailante Oboro

Headed  by master mixologist, Shunta Yamakawa, the US branch of Tokyo’s private Bar Cocktailante Oboro will also be housed in the Ura establishment. Known for creating fruit-based elixirs that aid digestion, Yamakawa’s cocktails are created from fruit, natural water from the mountains of Kagoshima, rye vodka, and a little syrup. The Tokyo bar’s interior, inspired by Van Gogh’s “Starry Night,” aims to be a “third place” outside of work and home, allowing patrons to gather in the ultimate comfort and the close-knit community of other members. The bar will serve cocktails that enhance the natural flavours of fruits, highlighting and enhancing the organic taste of each fruit. With an atmosphere which will be closer to that of a private soiree than a public bar, Cocktailante Oboro has the benefits of a membership-based system, that allows the owner to know and understand his patrons thus easily control and optimise the atmosphere. 

Experience Listening 

Ura also boasts a state-of-the-art listening room, a space, inspired by Japan’s Jazz Kissa movement, offering an intimate setting for high-fidelity music experiences, complementing the dining and cocktail experience. Featuring a bespoke analog sound system designed by Soundlux Audio, pairing tube electronics by Audio Note UK and horn-loaded speakers by OJAS, designed by Devon Turnbull, the sound system is a unique collaborative project between the leading audio engineers of two different generations, to provide a rich, balanced, and exceptional music listening space. The concept is a natural evolution of the Kissa ambiance, paired with the modern trend of fresh fruit cocktail bars in Japan, creating a perfect setting for post-dining relaxation and reflection.

Opening in fall 2024. Request more details here: contact@uramiami.com