Jimmy “Sushi Jimmi” Sinh is back with a new restaurant, Poke Paradise, which he owns with his wife May.
The restaurant at 6343 Summer Avenue, Number 110, the former site of Izzy & Adam’s pizza restaurant, opened August 20th.
He will be selling poke bowls, including “Spicy Kimchi Taco,” “Fire Salmon,” “Rainbow,” and “Spicy Ninja.”
Poke, which originally is from Hawaii, was created by fishermen, Sinh says. The dish is made from raw fish, usually tuna and salmon, but other fish can be used as well. Then soy and sesame sauce and “other goodies like seaweed” are added, he says.
Sinh is including his famous sushi rolls, including the special rolls and traditional rolls. The menu also includes sushi burritos, sashimi, nigiri, and a range of appetizers and entrees.
“We brought back fried rice,” Sinh says. “We have Japanese cold noodles. And we have a few more things we’re going to add on once I have enough staff trained. We’ll run some specials on the weekends; depending on what the season is, we’ll match the season we’re in.”
Sinh owned the popular Sushi Jimmi Asian Fusion restaurant at 2895 Poplar Avenue. He closed that restaurant on May 23rd, 2019.
As to why he wanted to open a new restaurant, Sinh says, “I’ve been doing really well with Poke Paradise [food truck] for the past four years, and we’ve done a lot of catering and a lot of private dinners.”
But, he says, “What made us want this restaurant is, it’s more consistent for the customers to enjoy. We’re open all day long and they can walk in anytime they want to order anything they like on the normal menu.”
And people can now find him at one spot. “Instead of trying to follow me around town on the food truck or keep up with my schedule at the shop.”
“It has the perfect amount of space I needed,” he adds. “It’s not too big where I can’t manage it.”
There are “just enough tables” for customers to sit down and enjoy his food, Sinh says.
And he doesn’t need as much staff, but, he says, “I still need a good staff to run the place for me. Starting September is when I’ll get back to being on the road doing my catering and private dinners.”
Customers can still see him at his restaurant, but “a lot of the weekends I will be gone because every year there are the same customers who book me for catering and private dinners.”
His takeout shop at 5310 Crestview Road is now closed. “As for right now, the food truck is not operating because I want to get this restaurant up and going before we even talk about the food truck.”
Poke Paradise “is not a brand-new business. It’s just transitioned to a restaurant. And now that it’s a restaurant, customers can enjoy it more. And they can come in and see me during the weekdays.”
But Sinh might not get out of the kitchen that quickly to greet his fans. “I’m always in the back cooking. And that’s what I have always loved doing.”
