A new high-end Japanese restaurant called Kintsugi is headed for the former Dakar NOLA space at 3814 Magazine St., with plans for sushi, crudo and elevated bento boxes under the ownership of a familiar name in New Orleans' sushi scene. The concept is tied to Huy Pham, who already runs Yakuza House in Metairie, and it's being pitched as a step up in both polish and price from his existing restaurant.
According to WhatNow, Kintsugi will be a high-end Japanese concept built around an extensive menu centered on sushi, refined small plates, fresh crudo and elevated bento boxes. The name itself carries meaning: Kintsugi translates to “golden journey” in English, per the outlet's reporting. WhatNow also reports that the restaurant is poised to offer more sophisticated fare at a higher price point than Yakuza House, suggesting Pham is aiming for a more elevated dining experience than his Metairie spot currently delivers.
What's On the Planned Menu
The reported menu leans into luxury ingredients. Planned dishes include a Honey Miso Black Cod appetizer and a bluefin tuna trio crudo with citrus caviar, the same report notes. Diners can also expect sophisticated nigiri options and inventive open-face handrolls, according to the outlet's account of the concept.
Signature boxed offerings are also part of the plan, including the lavish Royal Chirashi Box. That dish is described as featuring uni, sweet shrimp and Hokkaido scallop, served with an organic jidori egg yolk and a choice of soup. Permit filings reportedly describe Kintsugi's culinary program, though the filings do not confirm whether permits have been approved.
The Space's Senegalese Past
The address carries its own culinary history. Dakar NOLA opened a brick-and-mortar location with partner Effie Richardson at 3814 Magazine Street in 2022, according to Biz New Orleans. That restaurant had started as a Senegalese tasting-menu pop-up before landing a permanent home, as Eater New Orleans reported at the time. The permanent restaurant was designed around one seating per evening for 30 guests, with each course served to everyone simultaneously, the same outlet noted.
Dakar NOLA's menu featured a seven-course Senegalese-influenced tasting menu, with dinner service running Wednesday through Saturday, Biz New Orleans reported in its coverage of the opening.
Pham's Path From Yakuza House
Pham's track record in New Orleans sushi stretches back several years. He opened Yakuza House in 2021 as his first solo venture, according to Myneworleans.com, later expanding to a bigger Metairie location in October 2022. Strong early demand drove that move, with Whereyat.com noting that a year of better-than-expected popularity enabled Pham to relocate Yakuza to its current, larger space.
By late 2025, Yakuza House had become something of a neighborhood fixture. Myneworleans.com described the restaurant as having become a culinary staple three years after its debut. Kintsugi now represents Pham's attempt to build on that foundation with a pricier, more refined concept on one of Uptown's most visible restaurant corridors.
