Photo: QueensPost
Aug. 8, 2012 By Christian Murray
With little fanfare, Takesushi, a Japanese restaurant located at 43-46 42nd Street, opened last month where Transylvania once operated.
The restaurant is owned by Robin Kawada, a Japanese native, who has spent the last 40 years in the US working in the fish business. Over that time, he has co- owned several Japanese restaurants in North America and has ran a number of fish distribution businesses.
Kawada said he has opened quietly since he is still awaiting a liquor license. Once he receives that, he will go ahead and hold a “grand opening” celebration.
Kawada is a fish connoisseur. He ran an import-export business where he distributed Japanese fish to US restaurants for several years. He has co-owned several Japanese restaurants, all called Takesushi, which were located in Manhattan, Toronto, Washington, Great Neck and Woodmere. Those businesses were eventually closed following the termination of partnership agreements, he said.
Robin Kawada (Photo: QueensPost)
The last business closed in 2010, he said. However, Kawada a self-described senior citizen said many Japanese and American customers asked him to start a new one. He decided that there was opportunity for an authentic Japanese restaurant in Sunnyside.
Kawada said that the restaurant does not serve fusion-style food. He said it is so authentic that Japanese people throughout Queens are going. Already, the restaurant has received strong Yelp reviews.
In the past, Kawada’s restaurants have offered mainly sushi. However, he said, he wanted more cooked dishes to provide a wider range of options for local residents.
Therefore, there are a variety of noodle dishes and items such as grilled black cod fish, beef short rib dice steak, to Japanese fish chopped with scallion and ginger. However, sushi is the restaurant’s specialty.
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18 Comments
We stopped by for their lunch specials and later for dinner! Both times we had really great food. Everything really fresh and well prepared and a great deal for your buck, especially the lunch deals.
The quality of the fish is really something else, will go back for sure!
It’s a great addition to Sunnyside.
Wife and I stopped by yesterday and so glad we did. The renovation is nicely done. Food was great! Spoke briefly with the owner and can’t express how nice he is. It’s good to have authentic Japanese food back in the neighborhood again. Loved Ariyoshi until the change in ownership. Now it is your typical unauthentic Japanese joint.
My friends and I went here on Saturday, and it was the most amazing sushi we all have had in a looooong time. I highly recommend the place! Oh, and it’s squeaky clean –
Check out the sign in the window of this restaurant. Their warning about white tuna and how it can cause “embarrassing things to happen in your pants” is hilarious!
I will check it out too
I’ll def check it out! Good luck!
I only kinda sorta wish it wasn’t Japanese. We actually have a bunch of surprisingly good Japanese places here. It’s already hard to pick which one to go to!
I hope they sell Budweiser. I like a cocktail with my sushi.
Let’s hope he got rid of any vampires left over by the previous owners.
Whats up with the map of the world in the picture? It looks like my old science class.
Good Luck! I’ll be going here.
I have to agree with Matt. Having one gate down all the time just is off-putting. After seeing this article though, I definitely will be checking this place out.
Good luck!
Best of luck.
More people will go if they open the metal gates.
Good luck Kawada
Is it a BYOB until the liquor license?
Long time since I had an authentic Sukiyake (sp).
Good luck and hope to enjoy the cuisine …..
I hear it is better than ariyoshi. Good luck to the owner.
i look forward to trying this restaurant out, i hope the prices are reasonable.