Biwa Test Kitchen is the newest iteration of the established Southeast Portland restaurant Biwa. While located in the same building as the main restaurant, the Test Kitchen provides an intimate 600 square foot space imbued with a more focused character on the interplay between the rich food culture of Japan and Portland ingenuity.

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The existing surfaces were layered with new materials and colors: a palette of light wood wall panels and a wrap-around bar height banquette, dark steel details, and zinc tables and counters.

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The guest area is defined by two seating heights, and several ceiling levels that transition from the entry into the main space. The lower seats at the chef's counter allow for viewing, and service of hot and cold items directly from the compact stainless steel kitchen area.

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The all-electric kitchen is partially screened by a hanging custom steel framework that provides for display, selected storage and ambient light diffusion. The lighting scheme includes wall and ceiling mounted LED fixtures.