Kosher Mexican Chef Katsuji Tanabe Expands to NY, Has Big Plans for Pico-Robertson

For some folks, the first time they came across Katsuji Tanabe was on Top Chef, where the talkative chef rankled some and endeared himself to others. But Tanabe has been working around Los Angeles for years, including at his genre-busting kosher Mexican spot Mexikosher on Pico — and now he's taking that show on the road.

Per this report from NBC News, Tanabe has plans to bring at least one iteration of Mexikosher (and possibly more) to New York City by sometime this fall. The concept has certainly proven popular in LA's kosher-keeping Pico-Robertson corridor, so there's no reason to think it won't similarly succeed in New York, where more mediocre Mexican options abound.

What's more, Tanabe says that he has plans to deliver another, different restaurant to the Pico-Robertson Jewish corridor as well. That restaurant will be called Baranda (named after his daughters), and will be decidedly more upscale than the very casual Mexikosher down the boulevard. Reps for Tanabe say that Baranda will be ready to go in as little as three months potentially, with a full build-out underway at this very moment. There's no official menu at the moment, but much like the adjacent Ditmas Kitchen & Cocktails, expect more refined plates and a full sit-down dinner experience at Baranda.

As the NBC News piece says, Tanabe has personal plans to become one of the best Mexican chefs in the world, and with an expanding restaurant empire and forthcoming upscale spot, he's certainly working hard to make that dream come true. Got news on where exactly the new restaurant is landing? Hit the comments below.