Kane Ian will be DJ-ing at Mariko’s tonight. See you there. More on Mariko’s on the jump.
Trust the brains behind Keong Saik Road’s ’80s-themed restaurant and bar The Retrospective (and Bartini, along Club Street) to come up with another unique concept – you won’t find many eateries named inspired by an infamous streetwalker. Named after Japanese artist Yoshihiro Tatsumi’s fictional manga character Mariko, a prostitute forced to bed American GIs in post-World War II Japan, owners Patrick Fok and Kevin Cheng (they’re behind local restaurant and lifestyle group WWW Concepts) have attempted to replicate the feel of walking down a back alley in 1950s Tokyo, complete with dim, mysterious lighting, cobblestone floors and a neon signboard. There are also cartoon strips and a portrait of the hooker herself adorning the 2,000 sq ft, 80-seater space, divided into a general dining area and a ramen/bar counter. It’s apt that the duo have decided to pay homage to Keong Saik’s seedy past.
Via Great New Places