Help Amy and Zach's New Restaurant Flourish!

To all of our friends and family, near and far.. After years of anticipation, we've finally received the greenlight to move into our brick-and-mortar space for Ama Ami x Two Nine, this summer !

Our transition from casual pop-ups to restaurant planning was quick. When we left Sushi Taro in March 2020 to kick-start Ama Ami, a bento and dessert business, we were caught by surprise with the instant support. With the power of word-of-mouth, we managed to secure the restaurant plan of our wildest dreams by 2021.

We didn't start with an existing building; instead, we gathered up some Aloha spirit and six parking spots in a red-bricked alley way to build from scratch. Watching our bi-level concept come to life still feels surreal to us, and we're incredibly grateful to have this opportunity, right here in Georgetown. Our guests can expect a Japanese forward cafe menu featuring traditional tea, cream puffs, and chirashi ready to grab from the first floor's take-out window. For an intimate dinner experience, guests can enter the building to take the stairs up to a 12-seat omakase lead by Chef Zach Ramos.

During the ups and downs of construction, we didn't just wait around—Ama Ami was in high demand, serving over a thousand homes across the DMV. It all began with delivering packaged meals and "Homakase" experiences from our apartment during the pandemic. From there, we expanded to offering take-out chirashi at Mess Hall, and lastly, ran a year long pop-up at the Grace Street Collective. At this stage, we fused Ama Ami with our new omakase concept called Two Nine.

The idea of having our own space motivated us to work hard, but it also took a huge toll on us mentally, physically, and financially.

If you're aware of the health of the restaurant industry in America, you understand the challenges facing small businesses like ours. Rising costs of Japanese and local ingredients, labor shortages, and fluctuating customer demand often made us feel like we were hanging on a thread. We know there will always be obstacles to overcome, and we're dedicated to making sure our team is ready and feels supported during these uncertainties.

With that in mind, we kindly ask our community to come together and help us raise funds for a 'safety net' that will sustain us during the first few months after opening this summer. Your contributions will not only support us through the unpredictable early stages, but also give us more room to invest in the best equipment, competitive wages, and comprehensive benefits for our team.

Your immediate support is important to us right now. With your help, we can quickly address any forthcoming issues, and prioritize running Two Nine smoothly. Every donation, no matter how big or small, really moves us closer to building a thoughtful experience for both our team and our customers.

Thank you for your consideration and for your generosity. Whether you donate, share this page, or have any questions, your involvement means so much to us.

Sincerely,

Amy and Zach