The Importance of Ambiance in a Restaurant

I'm sure our customers realize it every time they are inside our restaurant. The atmosphere and surroundings that we have created within our quaint space is a welcoming and encouraging one. This aspect of our dining experience didn't just come by luck or coincidence, it was something our staff worked hard at achieving.

First of all, we thought about how most Japanese restaurants are perceived. Often times, sushi restaurants also serve hibachi (or live entertainment cooking - i.e. Kobe) at their restaurant. We don't offer hibachi, but still wanted to give that effect to our sushi bar. Therefore, we designed an open layout for Ichiban; allowing all customers to see virtually every part of our restaurant at all times. This concept allows diners to feel private, yet a part of a larger culture that can be seen, heard and smelled simultaneously.

The next aspect of creating a desirable atmosphere was wall decor. Orlando is saturated with talented artists, and a lot of our city's merchants exploit that fact within their walls. We didn't want to be the ones Downtown that fell short in offering a unique taste of Orlando's thriving art culture. At all times, we host a plethora of paintings, sculptures and other forms of artistic expression on our walls. We try to diversify our pieces by offering wall space for a variety of local artists to promote themselves.

Finally, we hire some of the most personable and charismatic wait staff in the city. Obviously, knowledge of our products and the Japanese culture is a must as well, but we like to base our decisions on their personality and ability to welcome our customers.

Without a friendly staff of employees, it doesn't matter how a restaurant is laid out, or how beautiful the decorations look. It's our people that keep our customers coming back again and again. Customer service is the most important aspect of running a business within the hospitality industry. We hope to continue to capitalize on that notion throughout the unforeseeable future.