Get Ready for Max Levy's Return to Sanlitun: He's Bringing Sushi

Working quietly out in 798 at Traitor Zhou’s Kaifeng Nonkosher Delicatessen, Max Levy has been curing and pickling away from the fray of Sanlitun, where he started his Beijing adventure in the kitchens of Bei and Apothecary. This summer, Levy will be returning to his old stomping grounds with his latest venture, Okra: Sushi, Sake & Cocktails.

The kitchen will focus on sushi, a tradition Levy is well acquainted with from his time spent in Japan. If Traitor Zhou’s and his recent pop-up events are any indication, expect a lot of items to be made in-house. Brunch at Traitor Zhou’s includes a New Orleans-style french toast with cherrywood-smoked bacon that Levy cures himself. You need only to take a quick glance at his Instagram to get a sense of the care bestowed on prepping each ingredient.

Tucked back in the 1949: The Hidden City complex, Okra has an interior designed by Phil Dunn, who also worked on next-door neighbors Bar Veloce and Janes & Hooch.

Construction will wind down in the next few weeks; Levy says to expect an early June opening date. If you’re anything like me – with the sincerest intentions to travel out to 798 for a solid meal cooked by Levy, and yet it still has never happened – then you'll be eagerly awaiting Levy’s return to Sanlitun.

In the meantime, look for one of Okra’s impromptu pop-up events. Last Friday, after a quick post to Instagram the day before, Levy turned up in an obscure, sunken Sanlitun patio off Xindong Lu to serve some pretty stellar cocktails and bar snacks.

Photo: Instagram.com/okraworks