A celebrated DMV-area chef is preparing to reinvent the local ice cream scene. Takeshi Nishikawa’s newest venture, Snow Crane, will be scooping innovative sweetness in Hyattsville next year, reports Eater Washington DC.
Nishikawa has not settled on a final, precise location, however the venerable chef tells What Now DC that he is enthusiastic about bringing something new and distinctive to his home neighborhood. He states: “I actually live in Hyattsville-my wife and I like to take long strolls, and I see lots of great restaurants, and I think that’s what makes Hyattsville Hyattsville. I wondered what else could I do that this community could use?”
Nishikawa, who is incredibly prolific and busy, explains that his young daughter reaching her first birthday allows him a bit more time to pursue one of his many creative ideas. He says: “I always think of new businesses-there is no way to say ‘now is the optimal time.’ You look back and see what have I done and what am I doing, and you do it. The timing made sense to me, so I was like “why not?”
Snow Crane will allow Nishikawa to bring a taste of Japan to Maryland diners perhaps unfamiliar with the cuisine. He describes his vision for the concept as: “Affordable luxury, where not everything needs to be so expensive. We’ll have a very straight forward, concise menu. There are a lot of family oriented residents in the area, it could be where they go after dinner. It will also create cultural exposure. It adds more diversity to the neighborhood and I get to showcase Japanese food. I think this could be the new wave of Japanese sweets in the DMV region.”
Future regulars can look forward to a wholly fresh and delicious experience; Nishikawa adds that all the ice cream and syrups will be made-in house.
Nishikawa is hoping to debut the concept next spring, though he acknowledges that a number of variables may factor into determining a grand opening date. He explains: “Spring 2025 would be ideal, dropping at the time of cherry blossom season. You make a plan and life happens, it depends on what kind of commercial lease I sign and what kind of turn around it’ll take.”
Nishikawa explains that Snow Crane’s name was selected to reflect the unique nature of the eatery. He states: “It’s very Japanese, and has a lot of significance in terms of its elegance.Snow cranes are pretty rare-they almost went extinct in Japan. It’s simple and easy to resonate with people. I just wanted to come up with something that is elegant, sophisticated and clean.”
