There's Mexican, Cajun, British, American (naturally), soon-to-be Dutch, and now on the horizon, Japanese food in Mainstrasse Village.

The restaurant boom in the Village is moving at such a fast-pace that this latest one doesn't even have a name yet. When its plans were approved on Monday by the City of Covington's urban design review board, it was simply noted as "Japanese Restaurant".

But don't worry - the guy behind this place has experience. Plenty of it.

"I have been running a restaurant since 1996," Yukio Fukunaga told The River City News on Monday. Fans of Japanese cuisine may be familiar with Ko-Sho, Fukunaga's restaurant that closed in Cincinnati's Northside neighborhood last year.

He and his wife moved to Covington's Licking Riverside neighborhood and have owned the property at 526 Main Street for a couple years.

Fukunaga expexts work to begin on the property next year and eyes the spring as a possible opening. "It will have a similar menu to the restaurant in Cincinnati," he said. The building has been largely vacant for ages, but is part of a block that is rapidly becoming one of the top dining destinations in the region. It will share the street with landmarks like Dee Felice, Otto's, Bouquet, and Main Bite. Opening next door to it will be Lisse, the Dutch-inspired restaurant going in the former Chez Nora. Across Sixth Street, Frida 602 has opened to great fanfare, joining neighborhood staples like Cock & Bull and Piper's Cafe. Son & Soil is now open on Main Street, while Craft & Vine and the newest Mac's Pizza location are yet to open where Goodfellas and Pizza Tower are already popular.

The neighborhood is experiencing such a strong resurgence that even Bean Haus Cafe is back after closing five years ago.

"I think we can fit in there quite well," Fukunaga said.

-Michael Monks, editor & publisher