It's been slim pickings for restaurant openings in the last few months, for the obvious reason, but Penn Quarter Living is reporting that the Asian-themed SEI Restaurant and Lounge will debut on Monday, Jan. 12, at 444 Seventh St. NW. It's owned by the same folks who brought us the fire-and-ice opulence of Oya on Ninth Street NW, just a few blocks away.

PQ Living describes the new menu as "Modern Asian cuisine," as created by "Noriaki Yasutake (sushi master) and Avinesh Ranav (chef), both formerly from Perry’s in Adams Morgan." The site further explains:

For dining, the interior will accomodate [sic] about fifty at tables and another dozen or so at the sushi bar who will be able to enjoy a variety of items including traditional sushi, specialty rolls and other Asian fare. The specialty roll menu has a few items making us lick our lips such as the SEI Caesar Salad, Fish and Chips and Kobe Tataki. Not your average rolls.

I have to pre-judge anything, but a Caesar salad maki roll? All I can say is that it better include some anchovies.

Photo by Penn Quarter Living.