Mills 50 gets The Moderne, a late-night social lounge serving Asian-inspired tapas, this fall

The steady makeover of Colonial Drive near Mills Avenue continues. This past year, we’ve seen Tasty Wok move across the street to make way for Korean import Bb.q Chicken. Japango and Dochi brought a little Japanese flavor to the strip. And this year, Sampaguita Filipinx Ice Cream + Bakeshop and Haan Coffee Roasters will split a space next to Tasty Wok that was once home to a nail salon.

But on the other side of Tasty Wok, at the intersection of East Colonial Drive and Shine Avenue, an upscale, late-night social lounge serving Asian-inspired tapas and craft cocktails will change the complexion of the strip.

The Moderne, from Maki Hibachi’s Michael Nguyen, will open this fall on a strip that’s long been focused on down-home cooking and humble digs. The restaurant’s Art Deco/Art Nouveau stylings are striking, to say the least, and if the layout bears a slight resemblance to Tori Tori, that’s because the visual concept is by local architectural design firm gdpdesignbuild — who, in addition to Tori Tori, also worked on Domu, Bento, Mamak, Light on the Sugar, Frosty Fox, Golden Hour Wine and other local aesthetic hangouts. Nguyen says he’s been working on The Moderne since before the pandemic, but now that things have opened up again, construction on the space (it used to be a mattress store) is in full swing.

“We’re super excited to bring a concept like this to Mills 50,” he says, but he’s coy about the menu.

“We’re not ready to divulge specifics about the food program yet,” Nguyen says. When asked if yakitori or kushiyaki will be a part of the offerings, he says he won’t completely rule it out. “Who knows? Maybe a skewer or two will be featured on our menu.”

Look for The Moderne to open at 1241 E. Colonial Drive in late summer/early fall for dinner only.

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This article appears in Mar 2-8, 2022.