Oza Downtown will bring omakases and izakaya eats to Mills 50

Omakase houses and tasting menu concepts have been on the rise and there's no question these high-dollar, multicourse meals are reshaping the culinary landscape of this city.

The latest restaurateur to get into the game is Tim Liu, the man behind neighborhood joints Mikado Sushi in MetroWest and Boku Sushi & Grill in Maitland. Next month, Liu will open Oza Izakaya, inspired by the sunsets over Mount Fuji and styled after Kyoto's post-work haunts, in the Williamsburg neighborhood near International Drive and Central Florida Parkway.

But while Liu preps for Oza Izakaya's opening, he's already working on his next project — Oza Downtown, in the heart of Mills 50. The stylish restaurant, whose design is influenced by a tidal wave (think Katsushika Hokusai's The Great Wave), is slated to open early next year at 1821 E. Colonial Drive near Altaloma Avenue.

The restaurant will house a 10-seat sushi bar where omakases will be presented by a chef Liu is bringing in from Japan. The 120-seat restaurant will also offer a menu of less formal Japanese fare that will be served in what Liu describes as three "modern tatami rooms" as well as a sunroom and an outdoor lounge.

Oza Downtown will also have a full bar.

Liu anticipates construction to commence mid-July for a January 2025 opening. As part of the building's design, an animated wave will greet passers-by on East Colonial Drive — a fitting symbol, given the swell of high-end Japanese restaurants flooding the city.

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