Nick Bognar, chef and owner behind the acclaimed Southeast Asian and Thai-inspired restaurant, Indo and Japanese-Thai restaurant Sado, announces today opening December dates for his latest venture, Pavilion. Tickets will be available here on Monday, November 25 at 11 a.m. for seatings at 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 5 through Sunday, Dec. 8, and Thursday, Dec. 12 through Sunday, Dec. 15.
Nestled in the back courtyard of Sado at 5201 Shaw Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110, Pavilion offers an 18-course Thai-inspired omakase experience in an intimate, custom-built wood and glass-enclosed pavilion. At Pavilion, James Beard semifinalist Chef Nick Bognar will combine his skills in Japanese, Thai, and Southeast Asian cuisine. He will feature his extensive dry-aged fish program, complemented by Thai flavors, in a thoughtfully crafted dining experience at an intimate six-seat chef’s counter. Pavilion will be open with two seatings at 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Thursdays through Sundays with plans to add additional service dates and small table seating tickets over time. For up-to-date information, follow on Instagram at @pavilion.stl.
Moving forward, Pavilion will release tickets every two weeks on Mondays at 11 a.m., two weeks in advance of the reservation dates. For example, on Monday, Dec. 2, tickets will be released for Thursday, December 19, through Sunday, December 29. Depending on the night of service, tickets will either be: $250 per person (includes tax and gratuity) for an experience hosted by Chef Bognar and highlighting the top premium offerings or a slightly more casual omakase experience for $175 per person (includes tax and gratuity) to encourage more frequent visits for return guests and give the Sado chefs who have trained with Chef Bognar a chance to shine. Sake and wine pairings will be available at an additional cost as well as a limited additional beverage menu.
Pavilion will be an extension of Sado, which opened in March 2023 and was named a 2024 James Beard semifinalist for Best New Restaurant, showcasing two sushi experiences in one location. “Pavilion was in the works before Sado even opened,” says Bognar. “We had this vision to create a literal Pavilion, inspired by Japanese pavilions and gardens in the back of Sado to offer a super intimate omakase experience, leaning more into my Thai roots. With just six seats at the counter, I’m excited to connect with guests throughout the night, educate them on new and unexpected flavor combinations across cuisines, and have fun.”
At Pavilion, designed by St. Louis-based design and architecture firm Tao + Lee, guests must first walk through the Sado kitchen to the wood and glass-enclosed space, located within the courtyard of Sado, with intimate seating for just 6 at the sushi counter as well as a few small two-person tables.The space inside has wooden paneling on the ceiling and walls and a curved marble sushi bar. The outer-facing wall of the building is made of glass, overlooking Sado’s newly renovated courtyard, adorned with river rocks and plants, where guests can enjoy beverages before dinner, as well as a covered walkway that leads to the private restroom.
Bognar’s 18-course menu will showcase a combination of binchotan-grilled and dry-aged nigiri and sashimi, highlighting his extensive dry-aged fish program and the playful integration of his Thai heritage with family recipes woven throughout the traditional Japanese omakase experience. There will also be an optional drink pairing with wine and sake to complement the dishes and nigiri, as well as a limited wine, beer, and sake menu. Dishes will rotate seasonally, but guests can expect standout items like:
- Corn Vichyssoise, umami-rich dashi corn broth, with juice from shellfish in the dashi and the corn broth, thickened with potato, slices of geoduck, clam, and scallop, gently cooked and served with aromatic oil
- Smoked Masu Sashimi with watermelon, Thai basil, palm sugar emulsion, toasted sunflower, and Thai chili
- Fish Caramel Unagi, where the unagi is dried, steamed and grilled, served with peanuts, herb salad, crispy onion, and mixed chilis
- Thai Chili Cured Prawn
Veteran Pastry Chef Sarah Osborn, who leads the dessert programs at indo, Sado, and now Pavilion, will have the continued opportunity to experiment with unique desserts that align with Pavilion’s omakase menu.
“Pavilion has been a dream concept for me to work on,” Bognar says. “Though I am able to incorporate Thai flavors and my heritage throughout my menus at indo and Sado, I feel that this will be a creative culmination of everything I have learned. From working with my mother, Ann, at Nippon Tei to practicing Japanese sushi techniques for over ten years, I’m excited to pull these experiences into the Pavilion courses. I know the level of quality and precision required for a memorable omakase experience, and I intend for each person who dines at Pavilion to walk away feeling like they got to know me and my cooking, be impressed by what they ate, but also excited about the creativity and playfulness that went into their meal.”
Guests can make reservations on Resy. Pavilion will open on Thursday, Dec. 5 for first seatings. For more information, please visit the Instagram page.
