The Katsu Kart Duo Opens DŌZO in Wesley Heights

This can go one of a few ways.

The main lobby at City Kitch, the commercial kitchen beside Restaurant Constance in Wesley Heights, is split into two areas. To the left is a wall of ordering kiosks—think of this as a virtual food hall. Tenants include Boujee Soul Food, Queen City Cheesesteaks, and DŌZO, a Japanese American kitchen that opened in one of the building’s cooking suites in September.

You can place your order and wait at one of the three high-top tables until a chef delivers your meal in a takeout bag with paper napkins and plastic utensils. You’re free to eat here, but most people take their orders to go. If you placed a mobile order, scan one of the QR codes on the right to let the restaurant know you’ve arrived. (This is how DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub drivers pick up delivery orders, too.)

To the right is an accordion room divider. On the other side is DŌZO, a 600-square-foot stall with a six-seat counter and three two-top tables. Each seat has a view of the cooking station, where Executive Chef Perry Saito and sous chef John Gamble prepare Okonomiyaki, Katsu-don, and Crab Fried Rice. Saito modeled DŌZO (Japanese for “here you go”) after an izakaya bar, a neighborhood dive with casual Japanese fare.

Saito and Gamble have run Katsu Kart, one of the city’s most popular food trucks, for three years. They wanted to try a brick-and-mortar where they could make dishes they don’t have space to prepare in the truck. City Kitch’s rentable cooking stations allow them to do this without the long-term commitment of a building lease.

DŌZO squeezes inside a 600-square-foot stall at City Kitch, a shared-use commercial kitchen in Wesley Heights.

If you’re able to snag a seat at the counter, it’s fun to settle in and watch the chefs at work. Just keep in mind that they act as hosts, servers, and table bussers, too, so don’t expect a white-tablecloth experience. Menus are displayed in plastic 8-by-10 frames on the counter, and you order via QR code. Drink choices include Cheerwine, Mexican Coca-Cola, or hot green tea, or you can just help yourself to a paper cup at the Brio water dispenser in the corner. Wooden chopsticks are in ceramic jars.

DŌZO doesn’t serve Katsu Kart’s popular sandos, their giant sandwiches made with Japanese milkbread. Saito hasn’t ruled it out for the future but says he wants people to come for other reasons. This is his opportunity to experiment with new dishes and show off his range. He comes from a family of restaurant owners and learned about Japanese cuisine from his father, who immigrated to Myrtle Beach from Tokyo in the ’70s. His maternal grandmother taught him to make soul food, so the menu blends both cultures.

Start with an order of Japanese Pickles ($6) or Edamame ($6) and ask them to make it spicy if you want to dial up the heat. Sashimi ($13) comes with five slices of whatever fish is fresh that day and a drizzle of ponzu sauce.

Okonomiyaki is a savory Japanese pancake that Saito grills with cabbage, shrimp, and pork belly.

Okonomiyaki ($19) is a savory Japanese pancake that Saito grills with cabbage, shrimp, and pork belly. He cuts it into wedges like a quesadilla and applies a generous drizzle of Kewpie, a Japanese mayo known for its tangy, umami-rich flavor. You can eat these with a fork, but Saito says it’s perfectly acceptable to use your hands.

Spicy Chicken Karaage ($10) is the Japanese answer to boneless chicken wings. Saito coats his in Tobanjan chili sauce and tops them with blue cheese crumbles. The entrée-sized Katsu Salad ($18) is a heap of greens topped with chicken katsu (Japanese for “cutlet”), cucumbers, tomatoes, and togarashi ranch, which gives it a bump of spice and a hint of citrus. It’s also a good size to share with a few people if you want to try more of the menu.

Katsu-don ($18) is a hearty rice bowl topped with pork katsu, steamed egg, sweet onion, and soy sauce. Crab Fried Rice ($22) is a plate of short-grain rice tossed with blue crab, pork belly, mushrooms, and ikura (Japanese for “salmon roe”). Portions are generous, so you’ll have plenty to bring home.

Don’t leave without trying: Crab Fried Rice ($22), with blue crab, pork belly, mushrooms, and ikura (salmon roe).

Saito and Gamble rarely stop moving. They plate meals at an impressive speed and pack to-go boxes as the Square printer spits out tickets for more mobile orders. They still manage to chat with customers and crack jokes as they work, and it’s clear these two are buddies and not just business partners.

The presentation and decor are nothing special, but that’s not the point at City Kitch. This is where chefs get to make some of the most creative food in the city. And a seat at the counter is like a backstage pass to a concert, where you get to see the restricted areas and meet each member of the band.