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Oasis: The Listening Bar opens in Clarendon, VA with sushi, drinks and curated music.
Oasis: The Listening Bar will officially open its doors in Clarendon, Virginia on Aug. 21. The new venue, modeled after the listening bar concept popular in Japan, will combine a sushi restaurant, bar and music venue.
“Oasis was born from a simple-yet-powerful idea: that good music, great food and warm friendship create something truly special,” founder Jaturon Srirote said in a press release.
Oasis: The Listening Bar is operated by Sumontita “Tammie” Disayawathana and Jaturon Srirote, the same team behind Sister Thai and Floré. Their two other restaurants focused on distinctive interior design and themed dining environments, and the team has brought a similar attention to design specifically to Arlington.
“We found it to be an ideal home for our concept,” said Srirote in an interview with Northern Virginia Magazine. “Arlington, with its proximity to the capital and its vibrant community of young professionals, perfectly resonates with the fun, energetic, and welcoming atmosphere we aim to cultivate at Oasis.”
The 400-square-foot venue accommodates around 100 guests, featuring a 40-seat sushi counter where diners can observe food preparation. The bar also has a small stage to support live artists and vinyl DJ sets. They aim to make music an integral part of the dining experience, rather than background ambience. Music genres are expected to range from Japanese jazz and city pop to soul, funk and contemporary styles.
“We’re going to bring in the DJs and try to see what suits our ambience, but be open for a lot of different kinds of music,” Disayawathana told Washingtonian Magazine.
Chef Jose Ventura will operate the kitchen. The menu includes maki, nigiri, sashimi, specialty rolls and other small plates like soups and salads. It is designed to accommodate sushi-focused meals and mixed groups.
“The Fried Tempura Oyster came out hot and crispy and paired perfectly with the tartar sauce,” Britney B. wrote about Oasis’ food on Yelp. “The Salmon Truffle was a highlight, with its freshness and the bright, zesty kick from the yuzu ponzu. The Pacific Roll was smaller in portion but still packed a flavorful bite. My family and I shared the Sashimi Deluxe, which had a great variety. My personal favorite was the scallop topped with uni and roe (absolutely delicious).”
Oasis also provides a robust bar and beverage selection, which emphasizes Japanese sake, whiskey and unique cocktails, with plans for tasting flights.
“As Sisters Group, we consistently seek opportunities to venture beyond our comfort zone, and Japanese cuisine emerged as our next passion,” Srirote said in the same interview. “Our primary consideration was to craft a menu that offers an exciting and enjoyable experience, particularly appealing to the dynamic, youthful demographic here in Arlington.”
Oasis has already become beloved by many.
“Being open for only five days so far, they are ramping things up but still deliver[ing] great quality food, with friendly staff and a great vibe of the building,” Joey H. said in a Yelp review. “The music spinning in the background sets a nice vibe and you can find records all over the restaurant. The sushi bar had a good selection and the serving sizes were filling.”
“The Listening Bar is conceived as a sanctuary,” Srirote said. “Much like finding a liberating and joyful respite in the midst of a desert, we aim for every guest to experience a moment of unexpected delight and renewal through our harmonious blend of curated music, exceptional food and drinks and warm hospitality.”
Oasis will open daily for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and for dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, the restaurant will stay open later. Reservations are available through Resy.