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Burly men like sushi — it’s not stuff for sissies.
Southeast Iowans are finding they enjoy the entree that many mistakenly believe it is always made of raw fish.
A lot of it is cooked or fried. Sometimes fish is used, but sometimes the meat is beef — yes, that’s what can be for dinner at the Shokai Shushi Bar opened at 2700 Mount Pleasant St.
Brothers Nikhom and Kanda Sisomphane teamed up with business partner Scott Keomanivong of Keos Back Bar %26amp; Grill in Mount Pleasant to create the latest sushi offering in southeast Iowa.
They opened a few weeks ago, and “it has been going really good. We see a lot of new faces,” Nikhom Sisomphane said.
The restaurant’s motto is “Keep it tight since 2007,” which refers to tightly rolled sushi rolls that prevent food from falling into dipping sauce.
Shokai means “first time” and the three heads in the logo represents the three men.
Keomanivong has a restaurant in Mount Pleasant, and the Sisomphane brothers have worked in southeast Iowa Asian restaurants from Ottumwa to Iowa City. They’ve had experience with Thai, Japanese, Chinese and Laotian dishes.
“We’ve had a lot of experience in kitchens,” Nikhom Sisomphane said.
The brothers wanted to start their own business and believed Burlington would be an ideal location. Keomanivong provided some help, and they haven’t been disappointed.
“It’s been fun,” he said.
Part of the enjoyment has been seeing people’s reaction to their menu and also educating customers about the cuisine.
“People have been very open minded about a lot of it,” Nikhom Sisomphane said. “They are learning that it is more than raw fish. We’ve made several rolls using rib-eye.”
Their menu is as varied as customers’ tastes.
“We have every kind of roll for everybody out there,” Nikhom Sisomphane said.
The restaurant also offers a variety of appetizers and drinks, including Japanese draft beer.
The menu includes cooked and fried fish, as well as concoctions they have made up with salivating success.
“Our menu’s variety makes us different from some sushi bars. And we’re always adding new stuff,” he said.
The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch and 5 to 10 p.m. for dinner Monday through Saturday.
Carryout is available and the telephone number is (319) 758-0006.
Nikhom Sisomphane said one reason they chose Burlington was because the city is progressing. He visited the community more than 10 years ago and didn’t see much happening.
“The city has grown and we think we’ll make a nice fit,” he said.
Tags: brother, dishes, Food