An upscale Japanese restaurant with a high-powered chef team has opened in McKinney: Called Shun by Yama Sushi, it's at 6651 Alma Rd. #200, in the District 121 dining and entertainment venue, where it will do sushi in a fine-dining setting.

They've been open softly but will officially open on January 17.

Shun by Yama is a spinoff of Yama Izakaya and Sushi, the acclaimed sushi and izakaya concept with locations in Plano and Dallas from chef Shigekazu Tateno. An entrepreneurial and veteran chef who previously worked at sushi spots such as Yutaka Sushi Bistro and Blue Sushi, Tateno also owns owns a bento and yakitori restaurant Totto Yama in the Plano Mitsuwa Food Hall.

For Shun by Yama, he's assembled a top-notch team that includes executive chef and partner Kenny Chong, former sushi chef at Shoyo in Dallas; and Shinichi Okamoto, who previously worked at Tei-Tei, the venerable Japanese restaurant on Henderson Avenue, as well as Akira Back in Las Vegas and Dallas.

Chong says that Shun will take more of a fine dining approach, unlike the casual atmosphere of Yama restaurants.

“Yama is more laid-back, and is open until late hours,” Chong says. “For Shun, we’re trying to create a more upscale atmosphere with a greater focus on dining — open for lunch and dinner, and no late nights.”

At Shun, they'll use fish imported from Japan in a menu of classics such as yellowtail sashimi, tuna sashimi, salmon sashimi, and kanpachi carpaccio. They also offer grilled items cooked on a binchotan charcoal grill, such as chicken yakitori. There'll be a seasonal menu with frequent specials, and. full bar with beer, wine, sake, and cocktails.

Dinner will range from $65-$70 per person.

Shun will be among the first of the restaurant concepts in the area and definitely one of the first to bring this kind of Japanese cuisine in an upscale setting to McKinney.

“The inside is more upscale, but kind of relaxing fine-dining," Chong says. "This is a prime location, this is why we chose this area."