Sakura Novi, the Asia-themed mixed-use development in Novi, recently welcomed its highly anticipated restaurant tenant. After a recent soft opening, the Dancing Pine, a Korean steakhouse, is now ready for full-service dining.
Dancing Pine, an anchor tenant, is from Seven York Inc. and Min Kyu Kim, founder of Kimchi Box, a chain with nine locations from Ann Arbor to Auburn Hills known for its Korean street food. Also under the Seven York umbrella are other Asian concepts and Kim’s Ondo Bakery & Cafe in downtown Ann Arbor. Ondo is known for its coffee, pastries, cakes and as a spot for brunch.
For Kim, the high-end Dancing Pine, at 4,500 square feet, is billed as his most elevated concept yet.
The Dancing Pine is centered on a full-service dining experience that includes wagyu, wine, caviar, fire, tableside service and Korean hospitality, according to a news release.
“Since opening Kimchi Box, I have always wanted to bring more energy to Michigan — the vibrance, the fun, the wine, the late-night feeling, the reason people dress up and go out,” said Kim in an email to the Free Press. “The Dancing Pine is my biggest bet yet. This Korean steakhouse offers a refined yet warm ambiance, blending luxury with the joy of sharing food with loved ones.”
First announced in February 2023, the Dancing Pine is one of Sakura Novi’s highly anticipated openings.
As a modern steakhouse, the Dancing Pine is also billed as an experience and evening out. Its menu features premium beef, seafood, caviar service, an extensive wine and cocktail program and tableside cooking. Amid its space are private dining rooms.
Its name, the Dancing Pine, is symbolic of Korean culture as the pine tree is a “symbol of dignity, endurance, and quiet strength,” according to a news release.
Inside, the space is meant to be dark and intimate, marked with elevated details like mother-of-pearl accents, owners say.
Highlighting the Dancing Pine menu is premium Japanese, Australian and American Wagyu beef. These select cuts are offered as a complete meal, shareable — small or large — in various cuts alongside its house-made banchan. In Korean cuisine, banchan are shareable side dishes served with rice alongside main courses. Oysters, seafood, signature sauces and a premium caviar program are menu highlights.
At its culinary helm is Executive Chef James “JJ” Jung, whose most recent stint was opening SET Steak & Sushi at Pendry Newport Beach, a modern steakhouse and sushi concept at a California luxury hotel. Jung’s experience also includes stints at renowned restaurants across the country, including Nobu, Yellowtail and Rosaline.
Sakura Novi is a 15-acre collection of restaurants, retail shops, services and residences with a Japanese-themed garden and pond at its center. Several years in developing, the Sakura Novi is designed to “transport visitors to the bustling streets of Tokyo, Osaka, or Seoul without leaving Michigan,” and it was developed in partnership with Robert B. Aikens & Associates and Robertson Homes, according to a new release.
“The Dancing Pine stands proudly in a building on the pond, like a jewel box with exquisite content, at the center of Sakura Novi,” said Scott Aikens, owner of Sakura Novi in a news release. With the recent series of openings, including The Dancing Pine, Cloud Boba, Teso Life, and Book Off, our vision to bring to the region an immersive entertainment experience is alive. … Sakura Novi provides to the community a feast for the senses.”
The Dancing Pine joins other restaurants now open at Sakura Novi, including:
The Dancing Pine, 42768 Grand River Ave., Novi; thedancingpine.com.
This article has been updated to include new information.
Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @SusanMariecooks. Subscribe to the Eat Drink Freep newsletter for insider scoops on food and dining in metro Detroit.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Dancing Pine, an elevated Korean steakhouse, is now open in Novi
Reporting by Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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By Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
