For the Sake of Sushi

Shreveport, as the third largest city in the state of Louisiana, draws many tourists looking to enjoy the wonderful sightseeing along the Red River and also Hollywood film crews there on location shoots. Chi Fu Tang and his wife, like many others, were also drawn to the city. They opened Sake Sushi in 2009, as an offshoot of Sake Sushi in Alexandria, a neighboring city, which was opened two years earlier.

The 3200 square foot establishment features a huge dining area and is also home to a sushi bar and beverage bar. Its modern décor is highlighted by the marble bar tables and walls, which convey a message of superior choice, and are designed to match with the elegance of the sushi. The lush sakura blossoms on the walls infuse vitality into the dining area while the water curtain beside the sushi bar helps to stimulate the appetite. Water gurgles from the top, splashing down to the two-layer pond where it churns up ripples that sooth the senses. Intricate yet simple, Sake Sushi is known for being one of the more relaxing dining locations in town.

As its name suggests, Sake Sushi does offer a bevy of sushi items, but it goes beyond that by serving up a spectrum of Japanese dishes. Many dishes served at Sake Sushi are original creations of the experienced chefs. Experts in both Asian and Western cuisine, they spurn tradition in favor of adding contemporary touches to the dishes. Sake’s kitchen has become a private arena for them to implement their ideas as they go about creating their masterpieces.

One representative dish is Duck Meat Pancake, which is a combo of sliced duck meat, cucumber, cheese and pancake. To make this succulent dish, the duck meat and cheese are roasted until the cheese has melted away and then mixed with the cucumber and served on the top of the pancake. This is indeed a must-try dish for those seeking something original to diversify their meal.

Other creative dishes include Coffee Tuna, Pan Seared Sea Scallop, Mango Duck, and Mutton Chop. All these dishes are able to be offered on the menu because of the unsurpassed skill of the chefs. In the kitchen, the chefs often share their cooking ideas and work together to create more appealing and delicious dishes.

You will find that the sushi items served on the sushi bars are a bit different from those in other traditional restaurants. This is because Mr. Tang relishes change and does this by also adding new varieties of sushi on to the menu every month.

At the sushi bar, customers can order then watch as the sushi chef deftly prepares everything right in front of them. All the sushi is made to the order, so that freshness can be guaranteed. “The sushi in our restaurant is characterized by constant change, different patterns, and palatable flavors,” says Mr. Tang.

Green Lady is a graceful and elegant looking sushi offering that has captured the hearts of area sushi lovers. Rolled with blended crabmeat salad, tempura powder, perilla, white fish, sliced lime, and special lemon soy sauce; Green Lady has quickly become one of Sake Sushi’s most popular rolls.

An enticing choice of beverages is offered at the beverage bar, which is tended to by a professional bartender. Customers have picked up on this and often sit at the bar tasting the wine or order some sake to go with their favorite sushi item. The friendly bartender is also willing to recommend drinks to customers looking to try something new.

Take-out service is also available at Sake Sushi. It was immediately embraced by those living nearby and it is common to see the same customers stopping by several times a week to pick up their orders. The staff always serves customers to the best of their abilities and truly cherishes the opportunities that Mr. Tang and his wife have offered to them. “I treat my staff with respect and want them to enjoy working here. They’ve play an important role and I appreciate their efforts,” says Mr. Tang.

Mr. Tang is generous to his customers, often giving them treats to snack on while they are waiting for their orders. He has made a point of getting to really know his customers and has memorized most of their names and even their favorite foods.

A source of inspiration for Mr. Tang has been Rony, one of his most loyal customers. When Sake Sushi first opened he would stop by almost every day for lunch or dinner. His unwavering support gave Mr. Tang a mountain of confidence and he is glad to see that Rony still stops by quite often.

Mr. Tang came to America 26 years ago from Taiwan and found work at a Chinese restaurant. In 1997, he tried his luck by opening a Chinese restaurant, but had to give up on that venture four years later. However, never did he stop his steps of pursuing his dream. And so, he made up his mind to establish another restaurant in 2007 by opening Sake Sushi in Alexandria. It was a local success but Mr. Tang and his wife envisioned something even grander and chose to open up another branch so that more people could try their distinctive culinary creations. Sake Sushi Shreveport, run by his wife, has turned out to be a success, too.

Mr. Tang and his wife believe in continuous improvement and tirelessly work to enhance every facet of the restaurant. They are quite confident with their approach and believe that natural selection can also be applied to the restaurant industry. To them, the smiles on the faces of customers are a reflection of the restaurant’s competitiveness.

Sake Sushi
Location: 7511 Youree Dr. Shreveport, LA 71105
Phone: 318-795-8084
Offers: Dine-in, Take-out
Cuisine: Asian Fusion
Signature Dishes: Green Lady, Coffee Tuna, Pan Seared Sea Scallop，Mango Duck
Capacity: 90
Year of Establishment: 2009
Website: www. sakesushila.com