Thank you for being so patient was a common phrase among the workers of Athens' new sushi bar Happy Kobe, 30 W. Union St., last night.
Owner Kibin Park said he did not expect so many customers to fill his restaurant on its opening night. He said he barely left the kitchen.
There were too many people
Park said, but he added that so much business was not a bad thing.
Patrons could pick from a full dinner menu, but the main reason many people came - and waited - was the sushi.
I was just looking for a good sushi place in Athens said Erik Salo, an OU student who said he enjoyed the eel he ordered.
OU student Heidi Schubert said she had high expectations before making reservations and had awaited Happy Kobe's opening for quite some time. She said she enjoyed it so much that she is making reservations for tonight - and bringing her mother.
Some customers waited for more than an hour, but Athens resident Dan Dreifort expected the wait.
My expectations were very low from the service standpoint because it is a new restaurant and it was opening night
Dreifort said, but he added that the sushi was worth the wait.
I think Japanese food is long overdue in this town
Dreifort said. I will definitely be back.
Happy Kobe waitress Adrienne Maimone, a Japanese minor, said, Tonight was crazy
but I am happy we got a lot of business.
Park said he opened a Japanese restaurant to pay back the town for the great experiences he had here.
I love this town
he said.
After graduating from Ohio University in 1996, he moved to Kobe, Japan, where he met his wife. When the couple moved back to Athens, Park decided to open the restaurant.
By opening this business
I want people to not only enjoy Japanese food
but East Asian culture as well
he said.
A shelf of books about East Asian countries hangs from the right wall of the restaurant and cultural artifacts line the sushi bar.
Park said that the quality of his Japanese food is to be trusted. With this sushi - its quality - I could compete with Japan.
Happy Kobe gets its sushi, flash frozen, directly from the Tokyo fish market, Park said.
The restaurant's sushi rolls range from $3.50 to $7.50 for house specials such as the Dragon Roll, Double Crunch Spicy Tuna Roll and the Athens Roll.
Happy Kobe is open Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Saturday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Because of credit card machine problems, cash is required, as are reservations.
