Japanese Fast-Casual Restaurant Opens In September On LES

LOWER EAST SIDE, NY — A new Japanese eatery with a fast-casual concept will open in September on the Lower East Side.

The husband-and-wife team Dimitri Voutsinas and Christine Argao-Voutsinas will open Otaku Katsu at 137 Rivington St. between Suffolk and Norfolk streets next month.

The restaurant owners plan to bridge the gap between Japanese restaurants and convenient places to eat "by creating a welcoming and inviting experience, that many fast casual spots can lack," they said.

"We wanted to pay proper tribute to some of the foods that we love," the owners said. "Plus, we lived in the area for years and love the neighborhood."

Voutsinas brings expertise from his time most recently at Pizza Loves Emily in the West Village. Argao-Voutsinas managed Aquavit and Felidia. They met while working at Red Rooster in Harlem.

They will serve katsu and Japanese sando bentos, among other eats including okonomiyaki fries, grilled corn, and ice cream in seasonal flavors.

The fast-casual concept eatery is named for Otaku, a Japanese pop-culture word for "nerding out" or being obsessed with something, according to a restaurant rep.

Previously, Ben Tong of TongKatsu operated a restaurant at the same location, which shuttered after less than two years last month, Bowery Boogie reported.

The current expected open date for Otaku Katsu is September 10.