Designed by: @xuaninteriors

Captured by: @ezmediausa x Joe Zhou

Nishiki is a contemporary Japanese restaurant in Pearland, Texas, designed for award-winning chef Adison Lee. Rather than replicating a traditional izakaya, the project reinterprets Japanese dining culture through a contemporary architectural language. A suspended timber ceiling installation defines the interior, with hundreds of timber members arranged in an irregular yet carefully balanced composition inspired by stacked lumber. The installation introduces rhythm, movement and visual depth while concealing a two-layer suspension system.

The planning combines functional efficiency with Feng Shui principles, with spatial sequencing, kitchen adjacency and the placement of entry, restrooms and service areas responding to the client’s cultural beliefs. The main dining room is organized as a single open space centred around the sushi counter, with booths, banquettes, communal tables and counter seating creating different levels of intimacy. Keeping the room visually open allows food service, staff circulation and guest movement to flow naturally, while the timber canopy unifies the different seating zones.

The sushi counter acts as both culinary workspace and visual focal point, with an open display wall of irregular shelving modules echoing the rhythm of the timber ceiling. The canopy extends beyond the counter to define the sushi bar, while its inner soffit integrates concealed storage. The entry sequence compresses the arrival through layered timber panels, concealed lighting and lowered ceilings before opening into the dining room, gradually revealing the sushi counter and bar. In the private dining room, irregular timber blocks continue the material language, while four-person tables allow the space to be reconfigured for different gatherings.

The patio extends the experience beyond the interior, creating a visual and spatial bridge between the main dining room and private dining area. The restrooms continue the same restrained material palette and warm tonal contrasts, maintaining a consistent experience throughout the restaurant. At night, layered light, reflection and movement transform the suburban storefront into a more energetic social destination, softening the boundary between interior and exterior. Designed for Pearland’s growing suburban community, Nishiki brings a casual fine dining experience closer to home and has been recognized as Best Restaurant in Pearland in both 2024 and 2025.