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Cafe Sushi, a staple Harvard Square Japanese restaurant, is set to reopen for in-person dining for the first time in five years this December.
Cafe Sushi — located on 1105 Mass Ave. — has operated an omakase-style lunch and dinner service since it opened in 1984. The pandemic, however, forced Cafe Sushi to “pivot” towards takeout and delivery only.
“Business was very successful with takeout only,” Monique Y. Thomas, the general manager at Cafe Sushi, said. “So there really wasn’t a push or a necessity to go back to doing the original business model.”
Thomas said that Cafe Sushi’s success, while not offering in-person dining, was unanticipated by many.
“I don't think that anybody saw that this place would still be successful just doing takeout and delivery only,” Thomas said.
But Thomas said focusing on the wants and needs of the restaurant’s customers helped Cafe Sushi to find success with this model since making the transition during the pandemic.
“It took a lot of trial and error, a lot of listening to our guests and us being receptive and wanting to make situations right,” Thomas said. “Rethink how we are prepping our dishes, even just how we pack the bag for those that are picking them up and those that are being delivered.”
Cafe Sushi opened Cafe Sushi Shoten, “shoten” meaning “store” in Japanese, in an effort to further engage with customers during the pandemic. Shoten — an annex of their restaurant — sells sake, Japanese drinks and snacks, and other imported goods.
Thomas said that while Shoten has been a great addition to Cafe Sushi, it is too small for the customers to “be able to enjoy the food here with the ambiance and with our staff there to lead them through that experience.”
“We mostly wanted to do this for the guests. They’ve been asking for it,” she said.
Emphasizing Cafe Sushi’s positioning as an affordable restaurant, Thomas said that she hopes people can afford the restaurant daily and “on special occasions.”
“We want to make sure that people feel good about coming here in this economy. We want this to be a place where people can escape but not worry about how much it costs,” she added.
Cafe Sushi previously served sushi omakase-style, a form of Japanese dining where the chef directly serves the customer multiple courses. Thomas said that while the omakase design would not be returning, fan-favorites menu items, along with new hand rolls and an expanded sake collection, will make their debut during the reopening.
“We’ll do totally different flavor profiles, like something for everybody. If you like things a little bit more umami, something more fruity, a little bit more clean, dry and crisp, it’s there for you,” Thomas said.
The restaurant portion of Cafe Sushi will take on a new name, Cafe Sushi Nisei, when it opens in December. Thomas said that “nisei,” which means “second generation” in Japanese, represents a fresh start for the restaurant and chef brothers Kenshi Imura and Seizi Imura as they transition back to in-person dining.
“It's kind of just a new beginning for us,” Thomas said.
— Staff writer Jaya N. Karamcheti can be reached at jaya.karamcheti@thecrimson.com.
— Staff writer Kevin Zhong can be reached at kevin.zhong@thecrimson.com.
