"Popular Astoria sushi restaurant Gaijin has turned over a new leaf, formally reopening tomorrow as the more upscale Kōyō after a few weeks serving customers during limited hours. Owner Jay Zheng, who closed Gaijin after three years this summer, is behind the new business, installing a new chef named Darry Liu who comes with experience from restaurants like Eleven Madison Park, Shuko, and Ichimura at Uchu. [...] The atmosphere is intimate — just eight seats at the bar and ten in the dining room – and more elegant than at Gaijin. Zheng had the space redone in local maple, a nod to the new restaurant’s name: Kōyō refers to the changing autumn colors of Japanese maple trees." - Caleb Pershan
