Valuing customer ties, working long hours and honest business practices are the secret to his shop's longevity.
TJ Development Inc. has been trying to tear down four Ingleside buildings to build a mixed-use development since 2014.
Government approvals and community meetings are some of the final steps before construction starts as early as the end of summer.
After five years on Ingleside's stretch of Ocean Avenue, the affordable sushi spot moved to a new location in San Leandro.
The popular Japanese restaurant Kaisen Don vacated its location on the 1900 block of Ocean Avenue after five years serving sushi for a location in the East Bay.
"Thank you so much for the support and memories throughout the years!" a note posted on the door reads.
Kaisen Don closed on July 3 and opened at 1042 Marina Blvd. in San Leandro on July 8.
Opened in the fall 2017, the restaurant did brisk delivery business since the outset of the pandemic. It was known for its fair prices for quality dishes.
Below is an article that appeared in The Ingleside Light in November 2017.
Ocean Avenue’s latest restaurant is inspired by the restaurants surrounding Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market, the largest wholesale fish market in the world.
Larry Leung opened Kaisen Don, his first restaurant, after visiting the fresh seafood restaurants on trips to Japan with his wife, Pei Yu.
“In Japan, they build a lot of restaurants around the fish markets to feed the fishermen,” Leung said. “Everything’s fresh. We’re trying to recreate that.”
After working at his father’s auto repair store for many years, Leung trained for six months at a sushi restaurant in Hayes Valley.
Kaisen Don is located at 1939 Ocean Ave. The space, which seats 20, was “just the right size” in a neighborhood where Leung once lived. It was formerly the home of Rainbow Desserts.
A bouquet of flowers from Ocean Cyclery, the restaurant’s neighbor, sits on the checkout counter.
The restaurant will primarily serve Chirashi Don, informally known as “sushi in a bowl.” Salmon rolls are a specialty.
Leung did a soft opening on Saturday, Nov. 11, and is tweaking his service based on customer feedback this week.
Early reviews on Yelp are largely positive.
“Ingredients are so fresh and yummy that will definitely bring us back,” one reviewer wrote after the soft opening.
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