| TASTE TEST | ▼ Café ▼ SOUTH BEACH KEVIN AOKI SHARES WHY DORAKU CLOSED AFTER 23 YEARS ON LINCOLN ROAD One of Miami Beach’s longest-running restaurants — and one of the last independent restaurants still standing on Lincoln Road — has closed. After more than two decades, Doraku re- cently closed its doors. The restaurant posted the following on its Doraku Waikiki Facebook page: “Dear Doraku Lincoln Road Custom- ers- After more than 20 years of dedication to the craft of sushi and izakaya dining here at Lincoln Road in Miami Beach, we have un- fortunately decided to close Doraku. We are proud to have been a part of your celebra- tions, gatherings, and be the place that guests could always enjoy with friends and family.” Owner Kevin Aoki tells New Times that He says that over the past two decades, Lincoln Road has changed from a pedestrian mall filled with small shops and cafés to a cor- ridor of big-box stores and chains. “Lincoln Road used to be a place where people would walk down the street or sit and people watch in the cafes. Now you have mostly large for- mat stores like Apple and H&M. Smaller res- taurateurs and retailers can’t even approach Lincoln Road anymore.” The restaurateur says the changes in the neighborhood were apparent on a recent weekend. “I was there on [a] Saturday night and it was like a ghost town.” Most disturbingly, Aoki says, is that people weren’t even coming to Doraku’s happy hour, which was long considered one of the best values on South Beach. “I remember the days when happy hour was big. Even though the check average was low, the sales would be off the charts. I think these days, people aren’t into happy hour anymore.” Aoki says that he feels people don’t go to bars to meet new people or even friends. “Now consumers are on their phones, taking pictures, not talking to someone.” The restaurateur is now concentrating on Aoki Teppanyaki and Izakaya, located in Dad- Photo by Evan Fujimoto/Echo Seven Creative the decision to close Doraku was an emo- tional one. “This was my first restaurant. I opened it in 1999, which was the year of my daughter’s birth. I opened it with my dad.” Aoki, the son of Benihana founder Rocky Aoki, says he kept the little izakaya open for as long as he could. “Every time the lease came up, I tried to renew it.” This year, how- ever, Aoki decided it was time to close the doors. After 23 years, the restaurant was in need of a refresh, and Aoki simply couldn’t justify investing money into Doraku. “The restaurant was looking a little outdated and I wasn’t sure putting money into that location was the right approach.” After considering the options for months, Aoki made the decision to close the restau- rant. “Inflation is increasing food and labor costs. For the past year, I’ve been trying to lift up sales, but I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.” “I just feel that South Beach itself is chang- WE WILL KEEP SERVING SOUTH FLORIDA AS WE ALWAYS HAVE! SOUTH MIAMI 305.662.6855 8080 SW 67TH Ave. Miami, FL 33143 14 14 Check us out on ing after the pandemic,” Aoki laments, adding that neighborhoods — what Aoki calls “micro cities” — have sprung up to take the place of South Beach. “Wynwood, Brickell, Doral — people live and work there.” Kevin Aoki eland Mall. Aoki says the restaurant is filled with families celebrating occasions and that it’s so successful that he is looking for a site to open a second South Florida location. “When one door closes, another one opens and I’m going to walk through it,” he says. If you’re missing Doraku, there are two lo- cations in Hawaii: one in Waikiki and a brand new Doraku located in Kaka’ako. LAINE DOSS ▼ SOUTH BEACH SOUTH BEACH BREWING COMPANY OPENS FIRST OF TWO TAPROOMS South Beach Brewing, the brewery best known for its brunch-inspired ales and beach-themed vibe, has opened its long- awaited taproom in Miami Beach. But it’s not in the space founder and owner Lorenzo Borghese originally intended. Instead, the brewery’s first taproom is located at 1255 West Ave., a large space with an AUGUST 11-17, 2022 MONTH XX–MONTH XX, 2008 NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com miaminewtimes.com
