Shimokita
Fusion Canteen
Branding & Design, Ongoing
The design process started
from the extravagant fusion menu and
developed and based a fusion of features
between Japan and Mexico
Location
Year
Mumbai, India
2020
Client
Confidential
After a year of travelling between Japan, tasting the best sushi in the world, and travelling between Mexico and Brasil for the best meat cuisine in the world, the client got ispired by an avant garde concept, which is to blend these two worlds together.
This concept is not entirely new, it already existed for the past years in Milan, reason why the client trusted me to deliver the best design for his idea: Milan is a fashion forward city and this is where I started my research and pushed the design to a bold signature concept.
urban
fresh
colorful
A spiritual trip that takes you from the barrios of Mexico City to the energetic streets of Tokyo
“ We visited Japan and Mexico the same year, and coming back to our city we’ve been inspired by their flavors, colors and energy: two different ways generating the same effect that we wanted to incorporate in our fusion restaurant”
The menu has been conceived to harmonize the Mexican spices and the freshness of the Japanese seafood. An example? Cocktails based on sake or umeshu, spicy salmon tacos, ebi tempura roll with nachos crumbles, myso mayonnaise and an lobster roll with mango sauce.
Unapologetic experience for palate and eyes
The color resemble both the Mexican colorfulness and the neon light of a Japanese metropolis.
The brand identity stands out for its minimalism in contrast to the design space: the idea is to not outshine the interiors and give to the customer an element of surprise in order to create an experience.
The name refers to the hipster area of the capital, Shimokitawa: little known by tourists, it is a labyrinth of small roads in constant evolution, a forge of innovative ideas, art and fashion.
Underground & Sophisticated
Shimokita destabilizes you immediately: forget about the veiled curtains and zen garden, join the Harajuku vibes without forgetting the chicness of it all
The challenge was to develop a Japanese inspired branding with Mexican flavor that felt true to its origin but felt welcoming at the same time.
The mood of Shimokitawa neighborhood is entirely reflected in the space, which looks like an arcade from the ’80, with tchotchke around the space, like the animal chandelier by Saletti (like the giraffe and the monkeys) invades the lounge bar, almost ignoring the old arcade, and the neon lights that stand out in the soft light. In order to soften up the bold charm I used colonial inspired seats and tables .
The space is a strategic eye catchin device: a unique approach that stands out for its attention to detail, allowing the restaurant to be memorable but not outspoken.
