Piukee Shoten

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Piukee Shoten is a new Japanese gyoza restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. It is the brainchild of Unagi, the owner of Piu Piu Piu; a cafe nestled in the artsy Zhongshan Building that is often regarded as one of the best in Southeast Asia.

A tribute to the owner’s personal love affair with Japanese street food, Piukee Shoten’s branding combines Unagi's desire to transport the authenticity of the culture back home along with the unique local elements of KL. As such, the brand concept can be described as a cultural celebration of Japan and Malaysia.

The brand name Piukee 標記 is literally translated to “Piu’s small business” and follows the traditional Cantonese business custom of placing the character 記 (Kee) - meaning "brand" - in the names of their stores or restaurants. This is meant to be an ode to the humble beginnings of the owners, and the ambition to uphold the reputation of their business so that it can be passed on to the next generation and the ones that follow.

The logotype is designed to mimic the effect of traditional carved wooden signboards and the gyoza logomark is inspired by the look of traditional Japanese shop emblems.

Often depicted in design elements in Japan and Malaysia, the tiger serves as the brand’s very own mascot and Piukee’s interpretation of it – with its gyoza for eyebrows and distinct tipsy expression – is a playful nod towards the satisfaction that comes with feasting on the restaurant’s signature dumplings.

The studio also uses the tag lines 香噴噴 (Hiong Pan Pan) and 熱辣辣 (Yit Lat Lat) which translates to “wonderful smell” and “sizzling hot” in Cantonese. This describes the rich flavour and appetising nature of the gyozas upon being savoured.

The whimsically scattered names of the cocktails on the drinks menu is yet another cheeky reference to a fun and boozy night out.

Typefaces used:

Ro Brush and TBCGothic Std by TypeBank@Adobe Fonts // Piepie by Dharma Type@Adobe Fonts // Monument Extended by Pangram Pangram