Japanese eatery to fill Left Bank spot

In just a few weeks, sushi lovers in the University City area can look forward to another dining option.

Ajia -- a new Japanese restaurant located on the ground floor of the Left Bank, at 3131 Walnut St. -- should open by the end of March, according to Vincent Lam, one of the partners in the new eatery.

"We have tried to target the end of this month, but there might be final touch-ups that may cause a [small] delay," Lam said.

But do not expect just another sushi joint. Ajia -- with its head chef coming directly from Japan and most of its employees being trained in New York City -- is striving to have a unique flair.

"I believe this kind of restaurant we're opening is one of a kind, most of [the others] are pretty traditional," said Lam, who has worked in the restaurant business since high school. "This will be something new for Philly. We tried to bring some better restaurant styles to Philadelphia."

And Lam, who moved to Philadelphia from New York six years ago, believes he has found the perfect location for such a restaurant, having finally settled on the Left Bank site after spending over two years searching.

"This is a location we picked because there are a whole bunch of students [that] we can introduce to the cuisine," Lam said. "To our left is all the major office buildings, and to our right is the major hospital and University facilities."

Although the restaurant's interior is nearing completion, Lam and his partners will not mind pushing back the grand opening for a few days, as they are going to spend extra time making sure that everything is just right.

"Most of the time we are going to spend doing a little detailing, making sure we didn't miss a spot," Lam said. "We want to create a very calm and warm atmosphere for our customers to come into."

And Lam is not the only one excited about the new restaurant. Anne-Marie Lasher -- the owner of Picnic, another restaurant located in the Left Bank -- says that the new eatery will be a welcome addition.

"I don't think it will hurt my business -- we do not serve the exact same kind of food," Lasher said. And "the retail spaces in this building have been empty for a long time, so it will be nice to see that spot filled."

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.