Tokyo Sushi has been in the MARKET for over 10 years and they have a strong, loyal customer following. We wanted to learn more about the owners and this is what we discovered. We want to thank Yeon Lee for helping her parents, Dae and Seung Lee (current owners), translate their answers to our questions.
How and when did Tokyo Sushi get started?
Tokyo Sushi was already established in the MARKET before the current owners operated it. We were casually visiting the MARKET and met the previous owner. We found out that the business was for sale because the owner had to move to Georgia for personal reasons. Shortly after our first visit, we bought the business and officially began to run it in the May of 2005.
Why did you name it “Tokyo Sushi”?
The previous owner named it; however, they kept it since sushi is traditional Japanese cuisine and Tokyo is the capital of Japan. We figured the name was very well known to the general public.
What do the customers love the most from your menu?
The Chestnut Hill Roll is one of our bestsellers, which includes shrimp, crab stick, avocado, masago, and delicious semi-sweet Chestnut Hill sauce.
Tuna and Salmon Nigiri is also popular and is made with the highest triple A sashimi grade fish. Tempura Shrimp Roll is another popular item.
Are you working on releasing any new items?
Yes, we are! We always have seasonal dishes available. This spring, we released our charcoal grilled barbeque pork chop. A new sushi roll will be on its way soon so keep an eye out for it and check our menu regularly.
What do you find to be the most challenging part of your business?
We find it challenging to make our business known to more people in the area. Since we don’t use much of social media, Facebook, Tweeter, etc., it is challenging for us to reach out to people and communicate with them.
What gets you up in the morning? What excites you to come to work?
When people say, “Your sushi is the best!” We take pride in making our customers a high quality food and when people appreciate our effort, it truly makes our day and keeps us going.
If you could say one thing to your customers, what would it be?
Thank you for being more than a customer. Many of you have become great friends to us, sharing laughter and tears. In return, we’ll do our best to serve you sushi with fresh ingredients and will treat you like our family and friends.
Do you have any tips for people trying to make sushi at home?
Rice is very sticky; have a small bowl of water or wet cloth/paper towel on the side and damp hands as needed. If you’re using avocado as one of your ingredients, you can apply a small amount of avocado on your hand or use disposable plastic gloves and the rice won’t stick. If you’re making inside out (rice outside) rolls, you can use a sushi-rolling mat to prevent the rice from sticking.
In addition, always remember to buy sushi grade fish and avoid cross contamination.
What do you enjoy eating when you’re not eating sushi?
We love trying a variety of foods including Italian, Indian, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, French, and Chinese.
What do you like to do for fun?
We enjoy walking in the parks. Seung loves designing and making clothing at home.