Enso is a Southern restaurant using Japanese technique and style to connect the parallels in culture; Yoshoku (Western cuisine) taken to a specific region in the American South.
— Enso at Facebook
Enso (1758 Frankfort Ave. in Clifton) has announced that the restaurant will be closed for an “extended” period as the result of a fire.
Here is the statement at Enso’s web site.
We are heartbroken to share that Enso experienced a fire, resulting in our extended closure. Thankfully, everyone made it out safely, and we are immensely grateful to the Louisville Fire Department for their swift response. While we don’t know how long we’ll be closed, we want to express our deep appreciation for the overwhelming support from our community during this challenging time. As we approach our one-year anniversary, this isn’t the path we expected, but we believe in the idea of coming full circle. With the strength of our amazing staff and this incredible community, we will rise from this stronger than ever. We will keep you updated as things develop and are truly grateful for your understanding and grace. Thank you for being part of our journey—we look forward to serving you again soon!
During the course of our North of Bourbon profile in the Fall 2023 issue of F&D, I had this to say about Ensō, which opened on Wednesday, October 25 2023.
North of Bourbon’s ownership group has a new project slated to debut in the 4th quarter of 2023: Ensō (“full circle”) at 1756 Frankfort Avenue, formerly Ostra and Maido Essential Japanese, among others. Lawrence Weeks will oversee both kitchens, and his exploration continues.
“My parents met in the Navy. They lived in Okinawa, Japan. Growing up, I had a lot of Japanese artwork and a lot of the culture translated at home. It piqued my interest as far as Japanese food, art and culture.
“(Ensō) is going to be non-traditional Japanese, and the heart of it is going to be Southern food. It’s going to use Japanese ingredients, technique and influence, but the heart of it is all going to be Southern, like with the okra and the tomatoes that grow here.
“We’ve actually got a garden in the back where we’re growing a lot of our own produce. We’ve got native plants that we’re going to be using as well as non-natives that grow really well here.”
