Gi-Jin Sets an Opening Date Nearly four years after the Richard DeShantz Restaurant Group announced its intentions to open Gi-Jin in the space adjacent to tako and Butcher and the Rye, its owners have set an opening date: April 6. “It’s such a small space, and we wanted it to be really special. I think we found the key pieces to helping move that vision forward,” says Casey Henderlong, RDRG Director of Events and Public Relations. Longtime RDRG chef Ryan Hart and Michael Taylor, previously of Umami and Eleven Contemporary Kitchen, helm the kitchen, honing closely to corporate chef/co-owner Richard Deshantz’s original vision of an intimate restaurant with a menu focused on raw fish and a bar program highlighting gin. “Right now, we’re fine-tuning the ingredients. What kind of rice are we using? What kind of soy sauce are we using? What kind of vinegar are we using? We’re tasting a lot of things,” says Taylor.