Kojin to Reopen in Coral Gables at the Former Lion & the Rambler Space

Kojin will reopen in Coral Gables at the former location of Lion & the Rambler. Kojin photo (@kojin2.0)

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A New Times source has confirmed that Kojin, the former popular hidden Japanese spot located in the back of Hachidori Ramen in Little River, is about to reopen in the former location of Lion & the Rambler in Coral Gables.

Kojin closed on July 28, 2023, a year after being named Best-Kept Secret (Dining Division) in 2022 by New Times.

Lion & the Rambler, although voted Best Restaurant in Coral Gables by New Times in 2023, quietly shut its doors this past May to focus on a restaurant in Nashville. According to a post published to the restaurant's Instagram account on May 8, the restaurant's closure may be temporary, as it plans to move from Coral Gables to another space with "slight changes to the concept."

click to enlarge

Husband-and-wife team Pedro Mederos and Katherine Mederos originally launched their omakase-themed Chef's Counter at the back of Hachidori Ramen Bar as the Kojin pop-up.

Chef's Counter at Hachidori photo

Kojin was originally planned as a sake den in the back of Hachidori Ramen, but owner Guillermo Paniza offered the space to Culinary Institute of America grads Pedro and Katherine Mederos during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. The spouses (Pedro handled the savory while Katherine tended to the pastry and managed the space) showcased their skills by way of a seasonal omakase menu (diners choose between a six- or ten-course version) that emphasized local produce. The spot only had eight seats, and soon, the secret spot was not so secret anymore.

When the concept caught on, the couple decided to keep it going, dubbing it Chef's Counter at Hachidori.

Up until its closing in the summer of 2023, the intimate eight-seat restaurant and sake bar — where Pedro served as both executive chef and beverage director and Katherine as executive pastry chef — delivered a traditional washoku experience inspired by the Japanese practice of honoring the skills, knowledge, and traditions of serving of food with respect to nature and the seasons.

Known in Japan as kaiseki, this cuisine they made was as beautiful to look at as it was to eat. Therefore, fans of the duo are already flooding Kojin's new Instagram account with enthusiasm.

"You all making me wan to move back," wrote one fan of the restaurateurs. Another wrote, "Congratulations! Can’t wait for you to open."

This story will be updated once more information is made available.