“Employees must wash hands before returning to work.” It’s a basic concept (and one that probably shouldn’t need a bathroom-sign reminder). But at Kawa Ni, a flashy, cozy Japanese-style izakaya that opened last November, washing your hands is just the beginning.
Kawa Ni is among the first – and only – restaurants in Denver with a pair of bidet toilets, one in the women’s restroom and one in the men’s. (A few other restaurants, including Sushi Sasa and Tokyo Premium Bakery, have or have had them in the past, as well.)
Made by Toto, a 100-year-old Japanese company, the toilets at Kawa Ni sport “all the bells and whistles” that come with modern bidets (check out a recent “South Park” episode for more), said restaurant owner and chef Bill Taibe, including heated seats and multiple nozzle settings.
And while different forms of bidets are standard in parts of Europe, the Middle East and Asia (especially Japan), they aren’t a common sight in the United States. Only about 12% of adults here know much about them, according to a 2022 survey by Illinois-based bidet maker Bio Bidet, while 82% of U.S. adults have never owned one and 71% have never used one.
Most of the bidets that are in the U.S. are in private households or hotels – but rarely in public settings like restaurants, which is why Kawa Ni’s have made people sit down and take notice.
Taibe understands that some of that notice comes in the form of giggles. Bidets, after all, are often the butt of uncomfortable jokes. But he’s used to the cracks by now.
“We’ve heard everything you can imagine. People have no problem vocalizing about it. They’ll come back to the table and say something, and then all of a sudden you have a line of people going to the bathroom,” he said with a laugh. “People obviously appreciate it.”
Taibe, a James Beard-nominated chef, opened his first version of Kawa Ni – which also has a bidet – in Westport, Conn., in 2015 (and received a glowing review in The New York Times) and now has three other restaurants in that state. He decided to expand into Colorado because, as an avid skier, it was a place he spent a lot of time. He now lives here semi-permanently.
His love for Japanese culture and food – particularly izakayas, which are similar to American brewpubs – began during a month-long trip to Japan 10 years ago.
Taibe designs and conceptualizes his restaurants, and he said he’s made connections in Japan for sourcing the artwork and decor. “Everything you see on the walls is authentic and real.”
As for the menu, most of it is based on Japanese dishes, but with Taibe’s spin. They include the delicate shaved broccoli miso goma, with ham, burnt honey and crunchy ra-yu; the perfectly juicy, crispy karaage chicken; along with sushi, ramen and a variety of fusion dishes like spicy lamb dan dan with sesame, peanuts, gochujang, bok choy and miso noodles.
Taible knows that some people take issue with the fact that he is a white man offering up Japanese food and culture. “I’ve heard it all over the past 10 years,” he said. “Culture vulture. Cultural appropriation.” But Taibe maintains that he does everything he can to honor and respect the food and culture of Japan, and to showcase and share it.
DENVER, CO – MARCH 28: Kawa Ni restaurant in Denver, Colorado on Thursday, March 28, 2024. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO – MARCH 28: Kawa Ni dining room in Denver, Colorado on Thursday, March 28, 2024. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO – MARCH 28: Kawa Ni dining room in Denver, Colorado on Thursday, March 28, 2024. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO – MARCH 28: Bidet in the mens restroom at the Kawa Ni restaurant in Denver, Colorado on Thursday, March 28, 2024. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO – MARCH 28: Kawa Ni head chef Mune Toshi, left, and owner, Massimo Tullio in Denver, Colorado on Thursday, March 28, 2024. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO – MARCH 28: Kawa Ni Pork and Garlic featuring braised belly, soy egg, corn, black garlic and tonkotsu noodles with a Passionfruit cocktail in Denver, Colorado on Thursday, March 28, 2024. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO – MARCH 28: Kawa Ni restaurant in Denver, Colorado on Thursday, March 28, 2024. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
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“I’m a chef, and without making myself more than I am, chefs are artists and we draw inspiration from around the world,” he explained. “I want to learn about [other cultures and food] and then do my best to show my version of it and throw my hat into the ring.”
In the end, “we try not to take ourselves too seriously,” he added. Kawa Ni, at 1900 W. 32nd Ave., “is meant to be a fun environment. Eat, share some sake, and move on.”
The bidets, too, are meant to be fun. “One thing I really appreciated in Japan was how clean the bathrooms were. So they are a nod to Japanese culture. …Truthfully, I don’t think I’ve ever come across another restaurant in the United States that has them.”
