Q SHI Q
Modern Japanese Kushi with craft sake & beer
in a Tokyo inspired bar-like setting.
Q Shi Q was the brainchild of an experienced entrepreneur who had significant cultural experience from doing business in Asia.
His dream was to bring the art of Japanese grill to Vancouver. Most Japanese restaurants in the area serve sushi or noodles. He specifically wanted to serve robata barbeque. Robata refers to a method of cooking in which food is cooked at various speeds over hot charcoal.
This project involved custom metalwork and woodwork. The finished restaurant featured many functional art pieces with materials and styles coordinated to create a one-of-a-kind ambiance.
The building itself was a stand-alone structure. It was initially a warehouse with an upstairs office. We aimed to redevelop the property so that a restaurant and commissary kitchen would exist on one side. On the other side would be a lobby with an upstairs entrance to the company’s office space.
House of Bohn—a premium Vancouver design firm—completed the space's design and overall creative direction. We worked very closely with them over the construction period to attain the overall desired aesthetics of the space. The result was an establishment with a very distinctive ambiance.
The location featured soaring ceilings with exposed wood joists, so we faux-finished the entire space to make it look aged. This was an essential aspect of the aesthetic of Q Shi Q.
The restaurant had a fast-casual concept. First, customers would notice a large ordering section. They would walk up, order, and walk down the line to get their food. The cooking line was exposed so everyone could see their food being prepared.
Construction of Q Shi Q was an incredibly detailed, highly coordinated project, and we had a great deal of fun working on it. Crafting and installing the large graphic installations, custom woodworking, custom metal fabrication, and faux finishing were some of the most satisfying types of work we have experienced during our restaurant-building career.
*Q Shi Q was recently sold and now operates under a different name.
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