Westport, Conn. – OKO, Chef Brian Lewis’ latest restaurant offering Japanese inspired cuisine in the historic Vigilant Hose Company Firehouse at 6 Wilton Road in Westport, Connecticut, is launching weekday lunch service and to-go options on Wednesday, November 7. The restaurant, which opened in April 2018, showcases Chef Brian Lewis’ innovative take on traditional Japanese cuisine and sushi, in a lively and charming atmosphere.
Lunch will be available Wednesday – Friday from 11:30am-2:30pm and will feature a daily lunch-specific menu for this new service. Options will include Hand Rolls, Bento Boxes, Nigiri Sushi meals featuring 5x pieces of Nigiri Sushi along with miso soup and a salad option, Sashimi meals featuring Chirashi Sushi, Sashimi Moriawase or Spicy Tuna Sashimi OKOpoke along with miso soup and a salad option, as well as favorites from the dinner menu such as gluten-free vegetable tempura, OKOnomiyaki, Pastramen, King Crab Gyoza, Edamame and multiple salad options. Kids Bento Boxes will also be introduced, offering Teriyaki Chicken, Miso Ora King Salmon or Vegetable Soba Noodles, served with miso soup, rice, vegetable tempura and a soft serve cone or fruit cocktail.
The beverage menu will feature creative, non-alcoholic drinks that complement the lunch-specific food options, such as Refresh (cucumber, sudachi, mint), Revive (pickled ginger, turmeric, cayenne, lemon) and Rejuvenate (grapefruit, agave, serrano). The full beverage program, featuring hot and iced teas, Sake, Wine, Beer and cocktails, will also be available.
“I am delighted to open our doors for lunch service, inviting the greater Westport community in to enjoy our creative cuisine during the week,” said Lewis. “Since we opened six months ago in the heart of this vibrant town, it’s struck me how many people are out and about in the afternoon seeking a delicious, high-quality, fun option for lunch, including those looking to dine with their young children. My team and I have worked hard and had a lot of fun developing a lunch menu that will be delicious, healthy and designed to meet the busy schedule of our weekday lunch diner. We are looking forward to welcoming all of our regulars, and of course, some new faces from town.
In addition to lunch service, OKO will launch a to-go option, offering online ordering of its full lunch or dinner menu directly through its website –www.okokitchen.com – with curbside pick-up.
OKO accepts reservations for lunch and dinner via OpenTable.com, or by contacting the restaurant at 203-557-8404.
About Chef Brian Lewis:
Brian Lewis is one of Connecticut’s most celebrated chefs, lauded for his commitment to quality and seasonally driven American cuisine featured at his restaurant, The Cottage, as well as his love for Japanese cuisine at his newest venture, OKO. The Cottage, based in Westport, Connecticut, was recognized with an “Excellent” review in the New York Times, after only being open for four months, commending Lewis’ sophisticated menu in a cozy setting.
Lewis was also honored in 2018 as a semi-finalist for the James Beard Awards’ Best Chef: Northeast in the 2018.
He first received national recognition as the opening Executive Chef of actor Richard Gere’s The Bedford Post Inn, a Relais & Chateaux property that featured two destination restaurants, The Barn and The Farmhouse. There, he acquired national acclaim including Esquire Magazine’s “Best New Restaurant” list in 2009, and an “Excellent” review in the New York Times for his thoughtful and consciously sourced cuisine. He launched his first solo venture in March 2012 with elm, where he was once again named to Esquire Magazine’s “Best New Restaurant” list, this time in 2012, before leaving to focus on launching The Cottage in Connecticut’s Westport neighborhood. Lewis has had the honor of being invited to cook three dinners at the historic James Beard House in New York City, most recently in January 2017 on behalf of The Cottage. He has made appearances on “The Martha Stewart Show” and “TODAY.”
Raised in Westchester, New York, Lewis discovered his love for cooking at a very early age. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America with honors and went on to earn his Bachelor’s degree in business Management from Johnson and Wales University. Early experiences working under the guidance of legendary chefs like Jean Louis Palladin and Marco Pierre White strongly shaped Lewis’ culinary style to what it is today.
About OKO:
OKO is the heartfelt interpretation from Chef Brian Lewis of Japanese ingredients, cooking methods and cuisine, paired with seasonal, local ingredients from Connecticut, the United States and the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo. Located in Downtown Westport, Connecticut in the historic Vigilant Hose Company Firehouse, OKO showcases Lewis’ innovative take on traditional Japanese cuisine and sushi, encouraging casual, small plate dining meant to be shared, in a lively and charming atmosphere. Open six days a week for dinner and lunch Wednesday-Friday, the restaurant is located at 6 Wilton Road. For more information, visit www.okokitchen.com. The restaurant can also be found on Twitter (OKO_Westport), Facebook (OKOWestport) and Instagram (OKOWestport).
