The Japanese-Peruvian fusion cuisine taking off in Miami comes to South Beach

Carlos Zhen finally listened to his wife — and now we all get great sushi.

The Peruvian-born chef, an understudy of Japanese master sushi chef Noboru Sanda, had been living in Miami for years with his wife, who has long encouraged him to open a nikkei restaurant, a Japanese-Peruvian fusion. He finally listened and is opening Sakura 736 next month in the quickly booming South of Fifth neighborhood of South Beach.

“My wife inspired me a lot, but I couldn’t do it alone,” says Zheng, who called on his mentor, Noboru, to join him in this restaurant (ad)venture.

The plan is simple, they say: execute fresh, flavorful food in an authentic way, using only the best ingredients. The restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner with a full sushi bar, a lounge and a special omakase (chef’s choice) dining area.

“For me, it’s all about freshness and simplicity,” Sakura said. “It’s the essence of Nikkei.”

https://www.miami.com/miami-restaurants/he-has-miamis-hottest-restaurant-but-why-is-he-turning-his-backyard-into-a-farm-173053/

This story was originally published October 30, 2017 at 7:10 AM.