It’s been one and a half years since Yona first opened their doors at The View Luxury Apartments. Monday, November 30, 2015, saw the grand opening of the much-anticipated concept from Washington, D.C. based celebrity chef Mike Isabella and experienced Chef Jonah Kim. Located at 4000 Wilson Boulevard, the official website of YONA describes it as, “A full-service Japanese restaurant from Mike Isabella Concepts serving lunch and dinner daily. The menu features both traditional and more inventive takes on familiar Japanese dishes, including onigiri rice balls, sushi, ramen and other noodle soups. Heartier offerings include steamed bao buns, fried chicken buckets and Asian-inspired sandwiches.”

If the restaurant description wasn’t enough to draw you in, Jonah Kim and Mike Isabella were listed among the 2016 RAMMY winners along with Thrillist mentioning Chef Jonah Kim as one of “The Most Important DC Chefs to Watch in 2016.”

Since 2015, countless Arlingtonians, Washingtonians and more have packed into this beautifully decorated restaurant to experience a unique and fresh take on classic dishes. Anna Spiegel, Food Editor of the Washingtonian, writes: “True to name, noodles star on the menu…guest can try several varieties of ramen, including kimchi-filled Korean with poached squid and pork belly, a veggie version that mixes soy milk in the broth, and a robust ‘miso porky’.”

We also encourage you to read the Arlington Magazine review by David Hagedorn, complete with stunning photos by Jonathan Timmes, at arlingtonmagazine.com/restaurant-review-yona/.

Yona is open Monday – Saturday from 11:30 am – 10:00 pm and Sundays 11:30 am – 9:00 pm. For those who do not live at The View, the restaurant is only a few blocks from the Ballston metro station and is sure to keep those looking for something different satisfied. You may find the full menu on their website at http://yonava.com/menu.

The Shooshan Company is proud to collaborate with Celebrity Chef Mike Isabella to bring restaurants like Yona, Pepita Cantina and Kapnos Taverna to Arlington.

References:

(1) Yona. (2015). About Yona. Source: http://yonava.com/about/jonah-kim/

(2) Thrillist / Washington DC. (2015). The Most Important DC Chefs to Watch in 2016. Source: https://www.thrillist.com/eat/washington-dc/10-washington-dc-chefs-to-watch-in-2016

(3) Washingtonian. (2015). Anna Spiegel.  Yona from Mike Isabella and Jonah Kim is Open and Serving Ramen: A modern Korean/Japanese restaurant for Ballston. Source: http://www.washingtonian.com/blogs/bestbites/food-restaurant-news/yona-from-mike-isabella-and-jonah-kim-is-now-serving-ramen-in-ballston.php

(4) Restaurant Review: Yona. (2016). David Hagedorn. Arlington Magazine. Source: http://www.arlingtonmagazine.com/restaurant-review-yona/

(5) Photos from grand opening courtesy of Bonnie Flippin.