Nick Bognar, chef/owner of the acclaimed indo, will open his highly-anticipated second restaurant concept, Sado, (5201 Shaw Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110), a sushi-focused restaurant in St. Louis’ iconic neighborhood of The Hill, on Tuesday, March 28. The opening of Sado is a full circle moment for the talented 31-year old Chef Bognar, who in partnership with his restaurateur parents, will build upon the legacy of the family’s former restaurant, Nippon Tei, which recently closed in its current location after 21 years, and will evolve into Sado in the new space. Located in the former Giovanni’s restaurant on The Hill, Nick’s vision for Sado is a combination of honoring his childhood roots working at the family sushi restaurant to his 10+ years of defining his own modern interpretation of the traditional art of sushi, paired with his Thai influence. Sado will be open Tuesday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Reservations for dinner experiences can be made here on Tock starting Thursday, March 23.
“Sado,” which means tea ceremony in Japanese, signifies Bognar and his restaurateur mother’s commitment to providing a place for the community. Sado’s design echoes a modern, minimalist, yet playful vibe. When guests enter the restaurant, they are immediately greeted by a beautiful 8-seat bar and cocktail lounge with subtle nods to Japanese gardens and tea ceremonies. Granite floors line the restaurant, while the walls are painted a chic matte black adorned with splashes of gold and turquoise throughout the dining room. As Bognar’s largest restaurant to date, Sado has 97 seats for à la carte dining in the main dining room and an 8-seat traditional sushi bar. Bold and bright, the 4-person station is a focal point of the restaurant, where guests can catch a glimpse of Chef Bognar and his team in action. Additional design elements include a whimsical mural from local artist Jessica Brehmer in the corridor from the bathroom to the kitchen, echoing the playful design of the popular bathroom mural at indo. An outdoor patio space and Japanese tea garden are also set to be completed later this year.
Sado by James Beard Semifinalist Nick Bognar Opens March 28th
“I want Sado to be a sushi joint that doesn’t take itself too seriously, where people can come any night of the week. The sushi bar is a central component of the space, and we want to give people an interactive experience,” says Bognar. “We expanded our dry-aged fish program so people can get the more omakase-style experience with rare nigiri and sashimi or prized fish like the binchōtan-grilled, dry-aged Kinmedai and Unagi Kabayaki, a USA sustainable eel that took me more than a year to source. For those wanting the classics, we still have dishes like the California rolls and our killer Crab Rangoon. For me, Sado is a translation of all of my experiences.”
Guests can order à la carte starting with the cold tastings section, with dishes like his upgraded take on the traditional Miso Ginger Salad, made with seasonal vegetables, furikake, lotus chips, and oshinko (pickled vegetables), tossed in a miso ginger dressing with edamame-jalapeño puree; Wagyu Tartare with Keluga caviar, seaweed, quail egg, candied garlic, aioli, and seaweed chips; and indo’s signature Isaan Hamachi, celebrating his innate talent to blend Thai and Japanese flavors with coconut naam pla, candied garlic, chili oil, and Thai kosho. Comforting hot tastings will follow with Bognar’s classic Gyoza (Chicken and Pork Dumplings) and Crab Rangoon, along with more adventurous offerings, such as the Wagyu Hot Rock, a four-ounce portion of A5 wagyu beef served seared tableside, and the Chawanmushi, a seafood dashi custard with crab, enoki mushroom, and uni, served warm. Sado will offer a rotating selection of tempura dishes, with a dedicated tempura chef, such as Black Tiger Shrimp and seasonal vegetable preparations like Broccolini Tempura topped with aged Parmesan, slices of Meyer lemon, and aioli, a subtle nod to the restaurant’s Italian neighborhood. The RobataYaki “grilled” section is a unique feature at Sado, with rare finds, such as the binchotan-grilled, dry-aged Kinmedai with green curry au poivre, smoked eggplant, and Thai crunch, and the Unagi Kabayaki, a USA sustainable unagi from Maine served with sweet soy barbecue, white rice, and sesame.
For those wanting the sushi roll experience, the Makimono section includes 15+ rolls with many returning from Nippon Tei’s menu—such as fan-favorite California and Spicy Tuna Rolls; Tiger Cry with spicy crab, hamachi, Thai relish, crispy shallots, Thai chili, and toasted rice; and Nikkei Maki with mango, green papaya, avocado, topped with salmon sashimi, crunchy rice, and aji verde. With Sado’s expanded dry-aged fish program driven by Bognar’s relationships with Japanese fishmongers, guests can choose from upwards of 24 nigiri and sashimi options, including two bright and fresh options like the Madai and Kanpachi to the more buttery-textured Sake Toro, Iwashi, and several varieties of Uni.
Sado’s beverage program, created by Japanese American Beverage Director Kira Webster, offers a curated selection of cocktails, wine, sake, and tea. Guests can sip on classic cocktails with a twist, such as the Higashi Tini with a choice of Suntory Roku gin or Suntory Haku vodka, Taka “Noble Arrow” Tokubetsu Junmai sake, manzanilla sherry, and a house made olive brine with sesame, MSG, Thai chili, lemon, and Castelvetrano olives; the Café Oka, Webster’s take on an espresso martini with rice-based vermouth, coffee-infused dry curacao, malted hazelnut, nocino, and orange foam; and a genmaicha highball with yuzu gin and lactic simple syrup; and the Dragon of Echigo for Boulevardier lovers with Knob Creek rye, ginger- and togarashi-infused port, Benedictine, and cream sherry. Guests will find a story in every glass, as Webster draws cocktail inspiration from Asian culture, pulling from poetry, literature and more. Sado will offer a collection of 15 Japanese sakés and over 70 wines, along with tableside tea service with farm-direct loose-leaf teas sourced from Chicago’s Spirit Tea Company.
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“Sado is the culmination of everything we have worked toward at indo and Nippon Tei,” says Bognar. “As a family of first- and second-generation restaurateurs, opening the first Asian restaurant on the Hill is an honor. While my mother Ann is stepping away from the kitchen and day-to-day operations, you will still see her doing what she loves most, taking care of guests and making people happy.”
Sado will open its doors on Tuesday, March 28, for dinner service. Reservations for dinner experiences can be made here on Tock starting Thursday, March 23. For more information about Sado, please visit the Instagram page.
