Charlotte’s Top Dining Destinations: Sakura

The Chef: Chef Shien Zhang

Chef Shien Zhang came to the Carolinas from China with his family 12 years ago. He worked with his parents in the restaurant industry until he established Sakura as his own business. With the help of Any Chen, the general manager, he has recruited three other sushi chefs, two of whom had worked with Andy in Manhattan.

The Look: Modern & Simple

Sakura keeps the interior design simple so that customers can focus on the dining experience. Bamboo shades and screens contribute to the understated interior. A lighted cherry blossom tree, which is the English translation of the restaurant’s name, is a central feature when guests check in with the maître ‘d. Seating for over 100 is available in imported carved wooden chairs and on the patio. Part of the restaurant faces the well-travelled Catawba Avenue, but shrubbery and the angle of the patio shield patrons from the traffic noise. Multiple cylindrical lights hang over the bar where guests can drink or eat as they watch the sushi chefs at work. Sakura has only been open for three months, but up to four chefs are needed to keep up with the weekend crowds.

The Dish: All You Can Eat

Sakura offers an all-you-can-eat menu (lunch, $12,95; dinner, $19.95). This is the best value on the menu, as two full-price rolls will run a customer more than $20. Sakura’s all-you-can-eat option includes two items, plus extra appetizers from the kitchen. This can include chicken or steak hibachi, udon noodles, or sushi nigiri. Sakura is known for its high-quality sushi at affordable prices. The sushi menu includes sushi nigiri, classic and specialty rolls, and sashimi. Customer sushi roll favorites include the rainbow roll, American dream, green devil, and volcano. Another $12.95 option offered all day is the Bento Box, which allows a diner to pick an appetizer, a sushi roll, an entrée, and a rice dish. The hibachi steak is the most popular choice for entrée. Sakura offers an impressive list of sakes, imported beers and wines. There are both Japanese and North Carolina beers on draft, as well as many more international brands by the bottle. The restaurant offers sake flights, which include three sakes from TY KU.

Sakura: 19905 W Catawba Ave., Ste 109, Cornelius.

This story was originally published April 28, 2016 at 8:31 PM.