A sushi roll, the Special Roll, created by Ge “Jake” Moua. (Photo courtesy Tia Moua)
A new sushi restaurant is planned in Oak Ridge.
The new restaurant will be called I Heart Sushi. It will be owned and managed by Ge “Jake” Moua, who is from Oak Ridge and lives here.
It will be where China Wok used to be and next to the new Hobby Lobby store, which is in the former Kroger grocery store on South Illinois Avenue. The restaurant will be at 382 South Illinois Avenue.
The restaurant hopes to open as soon as possible, said Tia Moua, Jake’s wife. The restaurant is currently working on the inspections required by the City of Oak Ridge.
The sign to the building will be going up this week, Moua said Wednesday. There has been renovation work inside the former China Wok, and the opening and grand opening banners are ready.
The Oak Ridge Beer Permit Board approved a beer permit for I Heart Sushi on April 5.
The restaurant will have a full sushi bar and serve beer. It will be a sit-down restaurant with a dining area and sushi area, and 18 seats.
Jake Moua was previously kitchen manager for nine years at Sushi Spot on Barnett Way in Powell. He was also sushi chef at Wasabi Steakhouse in Turkey Creek for three years.
Many people drove from Oak Ridge to Powell to eat his sushi at Sushi Spot, which has a Jake Roll on its menu, Tia Moua said. I Heart Sushi will have a Moua Roll.
Tia Moua said the restaurant will have hibachi dinner and hibachi plates, meals that feature fresh meats and seafood cooked on a flat grill and served with teriyaki sauce.
I Heart Sushi plans to have lunch or dinner menu items that allow a selection from chicken teriyaki or steak teriyaki, and other menu items that could include, for example, potato salad or vegetable tempura. The menu is still being finalized, Tia Moua said.
She said the restaurant will promote the sushi bar, and the sushi chef will interact with customers, letting them try new rolls. Jake Moua will customize sushi rolls, whether you like spicy or deep-fried, or depending upon what type of seafood or fish you like, Tia Moua said.
The restaurant could be open from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., although the hours could be subject to change as I Heart Sushi adjusts to business.
Ge “Jake” Moua (Photo courtesy Tia Moua)
More information will be added as it becomes available.
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njengland says
I have a preference for tuna sushi, but to avoid worms in the uncooked tuna, it can be fished from only areas known to be free of parasites, and must be screamingly fresh. What the pedigree of the I (heart) tuna?