Sushi Wataru Will Hit Ravenna In October

Heads up, Ravenna: On the heels of Edouardo Jordan's new Salare, another promising eatery is headed your way this fall: Sushi Wataru by chef/owner Kotaro Kumita. A major local sushi player, Kumita apprenticed at the legendary Shiro Kashiba's Shiro's in the late '90s, spent several years in Japan studying sushi and kaiseki, then returned to Seattle and worked at Hana (formerly run by Kashiba), then the now-shuttered Shun, then at Ballard's Moshi Moshi Sushi, then back to Shiro's (he left last year when Kashiba did).

Sushi Waturu will be Kumita's first solo operation, and the 1,100-square-foot, 20-seat restaurant will replace Garlic Jim's Pizza at 2400 NE 65th ST next door to Salare. The focus will be around traditional edomae style sushi (no fusion rolls), made from seafood sourced locally and from the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo. Kumita also says we can expect omakase ("chef's choice") options and a list of sake, local beers, and wines "paired specifically for the sushi."

Decor-wise, Sushi Wataru will have a restrained wood sushi bar reminiscent of those found in Tokyo's high-end sushi restaurants, but rarely seen in the United States, Kumita says. There will also be no sushi fish case.

Stay tuned for more updates, but Kumita is aiming for an early October opening.