Salt Lake City's Ikigai restaurant, barely open five months, will close for good after dinner service on Thursday, owner Johnny Kwon told The Tribune on Tuesday.
"We're staying open the next few days to say 'thank you' to our customers," said Kwon. "We are inviting some of our old staff back into the kitchen and we're going out with our heads held high, celebrating the amazing memories we created with our restaurants."
Ikigai, 67 W. 100 South, was originally home to Mikado. Later, it became Naked Fish, a popular spot for sushi, sashimi and tempura.
The building which the Kwon family has owned for decades was put up for sale in December and is currently under contract, Kwon said. A hotel project is a possibility for the site.
At the same time of the sale, Kwon also switched the restaurant concept to Ikigai, a small-plates restaurant featuring Japanese cooking, but with some Italian and French influences. The Salt Lake Tribune gave it 3 ½ stars out of 4 in this recent review.