California Japanese Restaurant Sushi Roku Opens in Downtown Austin | Eater Austin
"Opening its first Texas location in downtown Austin on Friday, February 16, the restaurant will be located at 405 Colorado Street, Suite 100. The menu leans new-school with classic sushi, nigiri, and sashimi alongside izakaya items like the hanabi—crispy rice topped with spicy tuna, spicy yellowtail, or avocado—and a baked crab hand roll, plus wagyu steaks, Japanese fried chicken, and skewers. Under executive chef Sang Kim, the Austin-specific Waterloo Ichi roll pairs tuna, yellowtail, and snow crab with mango, avocado, cucumbers, kaiware sprouts, greens, chile oil, and sriracha sauce. Drinks include sakes, Japanese beers, whiskys, wines, and cocktails (with nonalcoholic options); general manager Jasmine Lee Garcia developed cocktails such as the Austin-only Shoman Glory (blanco tequila, cucumbers, kiwis, and yuzu), the Fusion (vodka, pineapple, honeydew, cantaloup, and watermelon), and the Ueshima old fashioned (espresso-washed rye whiskey, honey, ginger, cucumbers, serrano peppers, mint, and bitters). The space, designed by Finn Wijatno Architects, features an indoor dine-in room, a sushi-slash-cocktail bar, and a semi-private dining area. Hours are 5–10 p.m. Monday–Thursday, 5–11 p.m. Friday–Saturday, and 5–9 p.m. Sunday, with lunch to be added in the spring. Chef Kim previously owned Leander’s Kai Sushi and worked at Uchiko, Yanagi, and Mikado in Austin, and Garcia moved to Austin from Los Angeles where she managed the group’s Katana." - Nadia Chaudhury
