restaurant Dashi

Interior design. 2023.

Background

Dashi is a Japanese fine dining restaurant, owned and run by the chef duo Harry Jordås and Nathan Turley. The owners wanted a typical Japanese, calm, and soothing restaurant vibe. They needed help to plan out and decorate the two-floor venue.

The design details consist of earthy colors, walnut wood, black details to vibrant reds in the basement izakaya area.

Dashi’s approach to service, food, sake, and ambience is gathered around the Japanese ideology of omotenashi. The aim for Dashi as a restaurant is to excel and strive for perfection while allowing itself to grow and continue to its full potential.

Dashi opened in Stockholm the 2nd of march 2022. The Restaurant received a 1 Michelin Star in the spring of 2024.

Main Room

My project colleague and I, Anna Sollevi decided to work with straight lines in the development of the walnut bar, taking 8 seated guests, built to order by a carpenter in Nyköping. The same materials were used for two bar-top tables and a round 4 table guest top. The bar stools, in smoked oak, were built by a carpenter in Dalarna, Sweden.

Details

The Dashi duo are food makers with a passion for details, everything from presentation, and serving to the usage of each part of the produce. This food philosophy had to be reflected through other details of the restaurant.

Anna and I have a strong network of professionals from within many industries, that were willing to support the journey of Dashi. Nathan’s and Harry’s wishes were to create an independent business venture that would survive against the big competitors.

This is reflected on the carefully selected collaborators which each and all were up-and-coming artists or brands.

Tableware

The ceramic at Dashi contains 250 pieces of plates/bowls, made to order by ceramicists Fanny Bylund and Elisa Hedin. The eleven different plates were made specifically to fit the Dashi menu.

Saké cups

The ceramic saké cups are produced by ceramic artist Lisa Hartwig Ericson. Each cup has its own appearance.

Artwork

The three pieces of artwork are made by artist Sara Elggren. The pieces are made of linen thread, woven together with a special Japanese technique.

Basement Izakaya

The basement interior with its red lights, lids up the Japanese newspaper-covered ceiling. Here you sit on sake boxes covered with cushions and can gaze at sake labels on the tiled walls. By following the red door in the basement you will end up in the restroom area. This area has the same feel as the main room on the entry floor, with calm soothing colors together with dark wood details, tying the venue together.