Kyu Brings Asian Barbecue With a Swank Vibe to Wynwood
Housed in the former Shikany space (251 NW 25th St., Miami), the restaurant is helmed by former Zuma alums chef Michael Lewis and general manager Steven Haigh, who says it’s been a lifelong dream to open Kyu (which is pronounced like the letter q).
Haigh and Lewis describe Kyu as a wood-fire Asian grill, where the grill itself is the restaurant’s centerpiece. The space features an open-kitchen concept, where diners can watch Lewis and his team practice Yakinku, a Japanese barbecue grilling method, as well as prepare a bevy of other items, such as veggies, seafood, and other small bites. On paper, more than half of Kyu’s menu features dishes made exclusively on its wood-fired grill, including an assortment of fish, meats, and vegetables.
The restaurant, which features a rustic, farm-to-table atmosphere, prides itself on being sustainable. An Orca composter is used in-house to help break down excess waste, and Haigh and Lewis have vowed to plant trees to recoup those used by Kyu’s wood-charcoal grill. The eatery sources local produce for most of its menu items too.
The menu, crafted by Lewis, draws influence from his years of travel and mostly features Japanese and Korean yakiniku, which means grilled meat in Japanese. The menu begins with what Kyu calls “snacky snacks.” For something light, consider a crunchy kale dish ($7), or try something more satisfying, such as the burrata ($8), drizzled with a yuzu marmalade jam.