Photo: QueensPost
June 21, 2012 Staff Report
A new Japanese restaurant is expected to open at the former location of Transilvana (43-46 42nd St). The restaurant, yet to be named, is likely to open within a month, according to workers.
The restaurant will also offer traditional Japanese cuisine.
16 Comments
Click for Comments
Hi, Sunnyside neighbors
I, Robin Kawada was the owner of Takesushi restaurant located at 230 Park Ave., Midtown, NYC, Washington D.C., Toronto, Great Neck, and Woodmere.( Nassau ) I had a fish import-export business and also distributed fresh fish to Japanese restaurants in NY area. We have many good reviews in USA and in Japan. I now live in Woodside and I am a senior citizen. SInce I quit restaurant business, many Japanese and American customers missed Takesushi and asked me to start one. I have decided not to locate Takesushi in Manhattan anymore because of higher rent and expensive menus because of rent. It is more convenient and easier to pick up fresh fish from my shop in Hunts Point, Bronx and to drop them to Takesushi in Sunnyside, while not getting a $125 ticket for double parking or leaving my car for 1 minute after 7 am. Why did I start a restaurant in Sunnyside? I am confident t bring back my previous customers from all over the world when they travel to NY. I still continue to serve real authentic Japanese food, not fusion style and continue to succeed traditional Japanese cuisine in Queens.
All previous Long Island customers will find out about Takesushi and they don’t have to travel to Manhattan to eat quality fish. It’s also not difficult to find a parking spot in Sunnyside. In Japan, restaurants use the finest quality. Unfortunately, because of the FDA ( Federal Drug Administration ) some fish, vegetable, and meat cannot be imported into the U.S. from Japan. We still get quality fish from Japan and the U.S.
We will serve you the finest authentic Japanese food in Sunnyside, Queens. We still don’t have a liquor license. After we receive one, we invite you to the Grand Opening. Thanks you for reading this and have a great day!
Robin Kawada
I agree with Paul. 3 Japanese restaurants. but there’s a bunch of other pizza places? I think people should try all 3 and compare them.
No worries Lu – here’s the review I put up on Yelp (http://www.yelp.com/biz/takesushi-sunnyside)
Simon,
Thanks for the review. I’m just around the corner from here and looking forward to trying this new place. I do like TJ’s, but have this far been disappointed by other Japanese options in the area.
I just got back from Takesushi – to my surprise their food was quite good. In the past few years I’ve started to differentiate real Japanese food vs the restaurants that say they serve authentic Japanese food – this is thanks for my girlfriend and also a recent trip to Japan.
Takesushi has real Japanese food. I’m not sure if they will end up becoming an Asian fusion restaurant, but for now their food is legit. We tried a few things on their menu and all of them were done very well. We didn’t try the sushi, but will most likely do so on our next visit.
I’ve had the food at Ariyoshi, TJ Bistro and some other “Japanese” places around the neighborhood. I can say that Takesushi is a breath of fresh air when looking for real Japanese food in our neighborhood. Quality and service is great.
I hope that this place does great and will stick around. I don’t have to drive out or take the train to each some good Japanese food. Now it’s just a walk around the corner. They’ll have a repeat customer in me.
I cant see them surviving. If it was a fusion place, then, perhaps. There is an outrageously excellent restaurant in Williamsburg called Bistro Petit. It has about 6 seats and serves French-Koream food. It sounds absurd but it is amazing. This new place sounds like they are suffering from an identity crisis and it will hurt them. Wish them luck.
There’s also TJ Bistro which is a little out of the way, but imo way superior to Ariyoshi for sushi.
Not going to judge before eating there, but I have my doubts this place will last
I agree with Paul. They might try the new place, but they won’t choose it over Ariyoshi, and it will go under. Then the neighborhood looks bad. There are simply not enough people to sustain a new Japanese restaurant. But hey, they’re adults; if they want to throw money away, it’s their choice
dumbest idea ever
How about a nail place that serves Thai food? And has male gogo dancers.
@Paul Maringelli
There are other possibilities: maybe there are people who don’t particularly like the 2 Japanese places already here or maybe those that do like them but wouldn’t mind trying another Japanese restaurant. Either way, the public will decide with their wallets so don’t lose sleep over it.
There are also a couple dozen pizza joints in the area but somehow three Japanese restaurants goes over some imaginary limit?
Doesn’t anyone search the neighborhood? We have two great Japanese restaurants on Queens Blvd. (in the 40s) now. Does this soon-to-open place think they can steal away those customers? Or are they hoping to get neighborhood customers who never ate in a Japenese restaurant before?
Japanese/Italian/American…? Can’t say this sounds like a winning combination…
When is their “naked” night?
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Fugetaboutit! Skabbadooj! Are you kiddin me? A chinese place serving macaroni and gravy??
I was hoping for another thai restaurant