Foodservice & Taxes: D.C.’s Japan Inn Changes Strategy, Targets New Market, Opens New Restaurant

After 38 years, the owners of the landmark restaurant Japan Inn has closed its doors in anticipation of the grand opening of a more casual, contemporary restaurant with home-style Japanese cooking in Georgetown. As of this writing, Izumi Yoshimoto and her 35-year-old daughter Miki are scheduled to open Chez Mama-San in a two-level 1900-era townhouse in Georgetown's Cady's Alley, in Mid-May. "We really wanted to do something different," says Miki Yoshimoto. "I feel that a lot of restaurants now are geared toward comfort food and cozy spaces." Chez Mama-San has 48 seats, compared with 186 at the Japan Inn. At the old restaurant, Izumi Yoshimoto greeted guests and worked in the kitchen, always wearing a traditional kimono. By contrast, Chez Mama-San has a rustic, modern feel with exposed brick and brushed aluminum fixtures. Chez Mama-San will offer Yo-shoku, or Westernized cooking. The evolving cuisine is a departure from the traditional. Chez Mama-San will serve no sushi or sashimi but will offer dishes such as Japanese-style meatloaf, croquettes, curry and pancakes. Source: http://www.bizjournals.com