Tag Archives: sushi

With limited seats, premium sushi, Ltd Edition wins spot on ‘America’s best restaurants’ list

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Tsukasaki and Kobayashi “testing” the sake (Image: Ltd Edition Sushi)

Capitol Hill’s Nagle Place is home to one of “America’s best restaurants.” The New York Times has added to the buzz around Ltd Edition Sushi by naming the eight-seat sushi bar to this year’s roster of the 50 best food and drink places in the country, one of only two entries from Washington and the only Seattle venue on the list.

“The chef Keiji Tsukasaki came to the sushi craft somewhat later in life, after more than a decade in the nightlife world, and he presides over the eight-seat counter with an impresario’s charisma,” the New York Times says of the star behind the counter.

Ltd hasn’t been an overnight sensation. CHS reported here in the summer of 2021 as the venture launched across from Cal Anderson Park while the area was still in the grips of the COVID-19 crisis and its impacts on bars and restaurants. Keiji Tsukasaki’s restaurant found itself faced with building early business by selling premium omakase boxes while its plans for the sushi bar waited on standby. Later that year, those plans went fully into motion as Jun Kobayashi, former head sushi chef at Shiro’s, joined the Ltd team as executive chef. Continue reading →

A chef steps forward as owner with Sakana Sushi coming this spring to 15th and Madison

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Kim

Paul Kim has been working in Seattle sushi kitchens for nearly 15 years. Now, on Capitol Hill, he is about to own his first. Sakana Sushi and Kitchen is making preparations to open this spring at 15th and Madison.

“I’ve been in the restaurant industry for almost 15 years and I have always wanted my own restaurant,” Kim said. “It’s finally happening. I am glad things are turning out good.”

Sakana will fill an interesting corner sharing a block with Sichuan-focused Plenty of Clouds and Parma-styled Bar Cotto. Pioneer Square-born Intrigue Chocolate closed its cafe there during the pandemic challenges and it was previously the home of health cafe Healeo. Continue reading →

Capitol Hill sushi watch: Wasabi Sushi (but not that one) coming to new development on Pine — Plus, Ltd Edition starts fresh with Chef Jun Kobayashi across from Cal Anderson

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Ltd Edition debuted on Capitol Hill under COVID-19 restrictions and can now welcome in-person diners (Image: Ltd Edition)

Artist rendering of the Pivot building, currently wrapping up construction on lower Pine below Melrose (Image: Vibrant Cities)

2022 will bring a new sushi restaurant to the base of Capitol Hill. Meanwhile, one of the neighborhood’s newest sushi joints is celebrating a re-start, of sorts, as it finally can offer in-person dining after opening earlier this year under COVID-19 restrictions.

Wasabi Sushi is lining up plans for a 1,600-square-foot bar on the ground floor of the new Pivot Apartments development on Pine just below Melrose. The new project is apparently unrelated to Belltown’s Wasabi Sushi & Izakaya, one of the city’s longest running sushi joints. Instead, the new Pine Wasabi comes from the Happy Valley, Oregon-based chain that boasts two sushi bars and a walk-up sushi trailer in Portland. Wasabi Sushi’s first expansion will come in Troutdale, followed by the Pine bar opening in “spring.” Continue reading →

Capitol Hill sushi and noodle update: Aoki shuttered on Broadway, Biang Biang coming to E Pike

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Chuan will make way for Biang Biang

(Image: Aoki Sushi)

Last March, Hitoshi Nishitani was bidding goodbye to Broadway after his long tour of duty behind the counter at Aoki Sushi, a restaurant that has been part of Capitol Hill’s dining scene since 1986. Yao Huang, meanwhile, was preparing on E Pike to open his contribution to that scene, Chuan on Capitol Hill and its Szechuan menu of meaty chili pots and spicy soups.

A year later, Aoki’s new ownership appears to have shuttered the 34-year-old restaurant.

Meanwhile, with a new gigantic neighbor now resident across the street, Huang is also saying goodbye to Capitol Hill and making way for a noodle-filled new restaurant to fill the E Pike space. Continue reading →

Taneda, from a member of the Seattle sushi chef ‘dream team,’ preparing to join Broadway Alley

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Hideaki Taneda (Image: I Love Sushi)

Capitol Hill’s Broadway Alley has featured an eclectic mix of small restaurants and shops for decades. Its deepest reaches can be a challenging business environment but a well regarded Seattle sushi chef might just have the perfect solution for the “hole in the wall” opportunity.

Chef Hideaki Taneda is putting the final, likely exacting touches on his plans for Taneda, a new sushi bar in the back of the Broadway Alley that will adhere to traditional kaiseki style. Taneda has been the creator behind the bar at Lake Union’s I Love Sushi and is also part of the ownership behind Fremont Bowl. His career began at the age of 16 at the Miyazaki Culinary School in Japan, according to his bio, and, along with Shiro Kashiba, he was part of a Seattle Sushi “dream team” in 2011 to help raise money after the devastating Japanese earthquake. Continue reading →

Gokan by Musashi, with a focus on the art of sushi, opens on E Union

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A fixture inside Gokan by Musashi (Image: Agazit Afeworki)

A fixture inside Gokan by Musashi (Image: Agazit Afeworki)

By Agazit Afeworki, UW News Lab special to CHS

Private Tatami rooms bring Japanese customs to Capitol Hill (Image: Agazit Afeworki)

Private Tatami rooms bring Japanese customs to Capitol Hill (Image: Agazit Afeworki)

Rushing in, Gokan by Musashi restaurant owner Jun Park makes his rounds shaking hands with his staff, picking up phone calls and getting the music changed over the speakers. Offering some green tea, he apologizes for being late.

He was up until 5 AM the night before. But there was a good reason: He was cutting fish.

The busy owner of Musashi in Seattle and Bellevue decided to take a chance by opening a new restaurant on Capitol Hill.

Gokan debuts with a soft opening Friday night.

Gokan’s traditional and modern Japanese mix — complete with two tatami rooms — reflects Park’s passion to elevate the innovation in sushi bars. Park said he referred to his roots when building Gokan, which means “five senses” in Japanese, because he was tired of the fast-food style in his other restaurants.

“People would just eat and go,” said Park. Continue reading →

Capitol Hill food+drink | With mission to offer ‘$17 rolls’ for $10, Yuzu coming to E Union

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Yuzu's new home at 954 E Union is *almost* ready to open after a few construction delays

Yuzu’s new home at 954 E Union is *almost* ready to open after a few construction delays

Over Block Party weekend, the Madison Holdings-backed Kaisho concept quietly debuted, replacing the Madison Holdings-backed Boom Noodle at 12th and Pike. It was part of the group CHS called — tongue in cheek, Eater Seattle-style — 9 of Capitol Hill’s most anticipated summer, maybe fall Asian restaurant openings… ever earlier this year. On the backside of Pike/Pine, another new player part of the Asian-flavored wave has plans cut from cloth altogether different than its 12th and Pike counterpart.

The owner will also have something in common with many of his customers.

“My rent is ridiculous!” Jun Park tells us about his partnership’s investment in a new restaurant space in the new construction at 10th Ave and E Union.

Yuzu by Musashi will bring together two longtime Seattle food and drink owners teaming up for the first time for their foray into the teeming Capitol Hill entertainment economy. Park opened Musashi’s in Factoria about two years ago in the spirit of the longtime N 45th St sushi favorite. His partner Sam Park is the proprietor behind Tig Asian Tapas Bar on 1st Ave. Their prior ventures are solid if not unspectacular components of Seattle food and drink. Jun Park says he wants Yuzu to make a bigger — but affordable — splash on Capitol Hill.

“I want to bring those $17, $18 rolls to people for $10 and $12,” Park said. “We’ll let people try more exotic fish without emptying out their wallets.”

Continue reading →