A pair of Tang Dynasty (618-906 AD) dragon reliefs on the facade of the Kuo building greets passersby and diners. Margaret Kuo commisioned these reliefs to Lung-kuang Yang, a renowned sculptor from Hangchow, to honor the Chinese name of her new eatery on the Main Line, which translates into English as the "Dragon's Lair." She chose the simple majesty of an ancient version of a Tang dragon devoid of modern embellishment to memorialize one of the Golden Ages of Chinese culture, known for its literature and arts.

The Dragon's Lair
The Dragon's Lair, her first floor dining room continues this theme, the bas-reliefs of horses on the wall are sculpted replicas of two of six reliefs ordered by Emporer Tai-tsung, founder of the Tang Dynasty. These figures portray favorite mounts that Tai-tsung rode into battle to secure his rule and the empires borders. The priceless originals are part of the collection of the University of Pennsylvania Museum, in Philadelphia.

The Akari Room
To give her second floor Japanese room a contemporary interpretation of traditional Japanese architecture, Margaret Kuo commisioned a young architect Teruo Sakata of Tokyo, Japan. Mr. Sakata was chosen for his ingenious use of soft lighting as well as his mastery of Japanese architectural theory and practice. Unparalleled visual comfort is created when daylight is rendered delicate and subdued, and darkness is gently brightened with mild shading and soft tints. This is the essence of "AKARI" and the name of the dining room. This expression of old Japanese design, authentic yet refined dovetails with Margaret's culinary philosophy. While you are appreciating the architectural details, you will be served a refined Japanese cusine with all its complexity of flavors and ingredients that exemplify tradition and heritage.