Haii Keii, an Asian fusion restaurant, will open on February 18, at 3300 Kirby Drive in Upper Kirby. The menu features a range of East Asian dishes, including sushi and wagyu steaks. Managing partner Jarred Tosto developed the concept with executive chef Jeffrey Taylor, drawing inspiration from a month-long trip to China and Thailand.
Haii Keii, a 3,000-square-foot restaurant in the Kirby Collection development, offers a diverse menu. Owner Tosto told Houston Eater, "you can have a different experience" with each visit, according to Houston Eater. In an interview with CultureMap Houston, he said, "I went to China and Thailand for a month. I fell in love with the food and everything about it. We don't want to be one dimensional. We want to be all around." The menu includes dishes like the Murakami roll with king crab, Japanese A5 wagyu, and Kaluga caviar.
Haii Keii offers a diverse menu, including vegetarian options such as red bell pepper nigiri and pea shoots with Fresno chiles and sweet white soy. "We made sure that we had a nice veggie selection," Tosto said in an Houston Eater release. The menu also features an ube espresso martini, developed over six months. Designed by Gin Design Group, the restaurant's interior draws inspiration from Blade Runner and Kill Bill, featuring color-changing Plexi screens and an inverted bonsai tree over the bar. "We're not vibe dining. We're more experience driven. You're just blown away [by the design]," Tosto told CultureMap Houston. Currently open for dinner, Haii Keii plans to introduce a lunch service in March.
