More details emerge on a hibachi and sushi spot opening in downtown Columbia

Details about a new hibachi and sushi restaurant on Columbia’s Main Street are beginning to come into focus.

LTC Hospitality Services said in a Wednesday news release that Hanabi Hibachi & Sushi will open sometime later this year at 1624 Main St. The company had previously confirmed that a hibachi restaurant was coming to that site, but Wednesday marked the first time the name of the spot was disclosed.

LTC is owned by the Middleton family that has been key in the revitalization of Main Street, particularly the area of the 1600 block of Main where the company has a number of businesses, including The Grand on Main bowling alley and restaurant, and the tony Smoked eatery. LTC also recently announced it would build a barbecue restaurant in Chapin.

A release said the Hanabi name comes as “a reference to the Japanese word for ‘fire flower’ or ‘firework,’” and that it draws upon “the organic beauty, softness, femininity of flowers and pairing that with the power, brilliance, and fire associated with the cutting edge approach and celebratory style of hibachi and teppanyaki cuisine.”

Hanabi will have separate spaces that will provide divergent dining atmospheres. There will be a “light, garden-inspired” sushi bar with a “massive wall of windows,” the release said. The hibachi room, meanwhile, will have a “moody and lively environment,” LTC said.

“We are excited to bring a fresh take on Japanese cuisine to downtown Main Street,” LTC Hospitality director of culinary srervices Mike Ellis said in a statement. “We will create high-quality dishes perfectly balanced to match the space and the new name.”