Husband and wife team Misako and Robert Hsu are opening their first restaurant this summer in Greenpoint. The restaurant will be called Lingo and serve New American cuisine with a Japanese flair.
There was some thought behind the restaurant’s name. “Lingo” stems from the Japanese term for apple, a nod to New York’s nickname The Big Apple, and the Japanese slang word for foreign language.
“We like to interpret Lingo as something shared between a select group or an intersect,” Robert told Greenpointers.
Lingo is the second venture from Misako and Robert who own the catering company Shiki NYC, a concept that merges Misako’s Japanese background and culinary expertise with Robert’s native New York upbringing and business experience.
The team brought on the Emily Yuen as Executive Chef at Lingo. Yuen was the recently the Executive Chef of Bessou, a Japanese restaurant in Noho, after training at world-renowned restaurants like Boulud Sud, La Gavroche in London and Vue de Monde in Australia. Yuen was also named a rising star chef by Elite Traveler, Zagat, and Tasting Table.
Construction delays have ensued, and although the team hoped to open Lingo in the spring, they are now anticipating a summer opening. Lingo’s location at 27 Greenpoint Avenue is prime real estate near Transmitter Park and next to new Spanish bar, El Pingüino.