Former liquor store morphs into sushi restaurant

MOSES LAKE — Owner Jackie Chi is wearing several hats these days. Last week he walked through the construction where he hopes to open the second Sumo Express Hibachi & Sushi restaurant in Moses Lake.

He’s taking time away from his Sumo Express Hibachi & Sushi in Wenatchee to follow the progress of transforming the 5,067-square foot former Washington State Liquor store building at 933 Stratford Rd. into a Moses Lake’s newest establishment serving Japanese cuisine. He hopes to open the middle of August, but looking closer to Sept. 1.

Either way, he’ll put away his work clothes and move the front of the house where he’ll manage a 100-seat venue with a menu of 30 items with both hibachi and sushi.

“We create and match what our customers are looking for using traditional Japanese spices,” Chi said. “We pre-cook our food, like a Panda Express, and our customers will be able to pick and chose their dinner.”

As he walked through the stacks of ceiling tile making a maze of the room with bamboo decor still in its wrapping in the corner, he was envisioning how his Moses Lake operation would work. He’ll bring in his chef from Wenatchee and run four or five cooks in this restaurant. He is currently hiring wait staff as well as filling other positions, 15 in all.

“This is very exciting to be able to open a new restaurant here in Moses Lake,” said Chi, who has been running his business eight years. “We want to offer a healthy, Japanese style of cooking. I think they’re going to find something new and exciting once we get up and running.”

Chi said the Wenatchee restaurant is well established with its managerial staff in place, so he will be able to spend his time developing the Moses Lake operation.

“It will be nice to get back to greeting and working with customers, rather than keeping up with this,” he said with a smile, taking a look around a room in development.

Moses Lake’s newest place offering Japanese cuisine should be ready here in the next 30 days.