Seven Years From Dream To Reality, Sushi Yuki Finally Opens In Bay View
Long-awaited restaurant opened Aug. 30.
Site of Sushi Yuki, 2349 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. Photo taken Aug. 30, 2023 by Sophie Bolich.
Sushi Yuki opened its doors to the public on Aug. 30, inviting diners into its chic Bay View dining room to partake in fresh sashimi, rice dishes, teriyaki and more.
What guests may not know, however, is that their first taste of the new Japanese restaurant was seven years in the making.
Owners Jin San Koh and Sung Hee “Jenny” Kim first proposed the restaurant back in 2016, after purchasing the former Puente’s Barbershop, 2349 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. The married couple are experienced restaurateurs, with credits including Sakura Japan Sushi & Grill in Waukesha and the now-closed Osaka Little Japan.
Koh and Kim later demolished the Bay View building and constructed a new one in its place. The sleek, all-black structure, situated between Tip Top Atomic Shop and a residential home, sat sat seemingly completed restaurant for more than two years without a word from the owners.
But the long wait officially ended on Wednesday, when the restaurant welcomed its first guests for dinner starting at 4:30 p.m. Throughout the evening, a steady flow of visitors made their way into the industrial-style dining room, grabbing a barstool or taking a seat at one of the dozen or so live-edge tables throughout the space, which accommodates approximately 50 guests.
A handful of diners enjoyed their meals alfresco on the restaurant’s quaint patio, despite the evening chill.
On the restaurant’s extensive menu, guests can expect an assortment of fresh sashimi and nigiri, as well as nearly three dozen specialty and house sushi rolls including the Prince Roll, a deep-fried sushi roll filled with salmon, shrimp, crab tempura, avocado, spicy mayo and cream cheese, or the Blooming Flower Roll with crab, cucumber, cilantro and lemon juice inside, topped with salmon, white tuna and green tobiko.
Vegans and vegetarians will find their own section on the sushi menu, with options such as asparagus roll, pumpkin roll with cucumber and spicy mayo and the Amayi Tamago Roll, filled with marinated and fried tofu and seasoned rice.
Additional entrees include teriyaki (beef, salmon, chicken, shrimp or tofu), Korean beef bulgogi and chicken karaage, a Japanese fried chicken dish.
From the bar, guests can choose from a variety of tap beers — with both local, domestic and Japanese brews. Sake, served both warm and chilled, and an assortment of cocktails are also available.
Sushi Yuki is open Wednesday through Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Koh and Kim did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.
2019 Photos
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