One is no longer surprised when yet another Japanese restaurant opens its doors to the millenium city. Gurgaon, after all, has been patronising Far East Asian cuisine since before it was fashionable to do so. Oju, Karan Johar’s newest bar-forward Japanese diner, however is extra special. Not only does it add a celebrity name to the city’s culinary landscape but it also takes Japanese dining a notch up – both with its refined food and beverage programme and its chic aesthetic sensibilities. The 120-seater ground-floor restaurant, located on Gurgaon’s very own Ginza, the Golf Course Road, is rooted in the Japanese philosophy of Shibui — a pursuit of understated beauty, where nothing stands out and everything has purpose. This design language, known for its restraint and functionality, lends itself through natural materials, neutral colours, and textural variance. And at Oju, they translate into natural stone flooring, warm wood cladding, and ample natural light, which together ground the 5,000-square feet space.

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“When it was handed to us a year and a half ago, this was an oddly shaped site and finding symmetry needed for a restaurant seemed impossible,” informs architect and designer Aayushi Malik whose company, Aayushi Malik Designs was entrusted with the task of designing the restaurant. Instead of fighting the challenge, she decided to take it head on. “We opened up the façade, framed the awkwardly cut corners and carved out space for storage. We also incorporated different seating styles that engaged the eye — low sofas in the private dining room, curved couches with poufs and rugs in the central space, and cocktail tables along the sides. This ensured each corner felt distinct and gave the restaurant its own eclectic character,” she explains.

The open facade, guarded by 14-feet high glass screens for easy movement, enables seamless flow between the indoor and outdoor spaces even as the dining room extends effortlessly into the modern zen garden. Dotted with tall plants, dense shrubs, and lounge style tables it makes the odd geometry of the site feel cohesive and inviting. The variation of pavers and slate flooring meanwhile adds texture to the landscape without overwhelming the space. “The idea was to create a rhythm where social energy and stillness could coexist, offering each guest their preferred atmosphere – be it vibrance or pause – within the same environment. And so, you find as many quiet nooks for private dinners or dates as you do larger, open areas for socialising.

Malik tells us how the founding team wanted to stay away from the templated decor that often marks Japanese restaurants. Something even she believed in. And so, they decided to bring in subtle design elements such as traditional Japanese art forms. Hand painted by in-house and commissioned artists, the artwork lends itself to unusual forms — a line drawing, painted in continuation over metallic walls in the bathroom, delicate landscapes rendered on custom dome-shaped chandeliers, and reimagined vintage portraits on grainy wooden surfaces.

This art was complimented by artefacts — curios handpicked by the founders on their travels, coffee table books on Japanese food and textile, intricate wallpaper inspired from different regions of the country, and handwoven rugs in wool and jute. “Materiality plays a large part in building any space and here it lends a lived-in vibe. Oak wood in a dark open grain, textured wall paint, and a mix of travertine and wooden tiles allowed us to add warmth and character; the accessories added softer touch points,” Malik explains.

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As a centre point of the 120-seater restaurant – and its food and beverage concept – the bar, unlike the rest of the space, is a tad dramatic. Anchored along the longest wall, cladded with mirror that flows well into the ceiling, it follows a playful open shelving plan that maximises storage and creates visual interest. A series of ceramic pitchers with dainty calligraphy, hark back to Japanese urns, and wood panels add texture.

Given that the restaurant operates only in the evenings, lighting was an intrinsic part of the design. Veering away from typical bright ceiling lights, the place glows in the warmth of tall floor lamps, travertine table lamps, and tiny candles in glass votives. Together they offer a diffused amber hue, lending a warm, layered, and almost residential vibe to the space. As the evening progresses, these tones turn deeper, adapting to the changing, more clubby, mood.

And how does it feel to see the space up and running – does the final product match the initial plan? One is compelled to ask the designer. “As someone who has seen the space bare-bone, the most fulfilling part has been watching Oju move from renderings on paper to a living breathing space with its individual identity. The lighting, the murals, the little pockets of privacy — were all designed to create atmosphere, but all of it truly comes alive when people inhabit the space. Seeing guests connect with those corners, linger in them, and make them their own is what completes the design for me.” She signs off.