Sakura Inn

A few years ago, eating sushi was unusual.

In the first place, there were few sushi bars, and in the second place the food was exotic and new to many Americans. Lots of people thought sushi was raw fish.

Over time, sushi has become fairly common, and people are more educated about what it really is – and isn’t.

In Fountain Hills, Sakura Inn Japanese Cuisine and Sushi Bar features a vast selection of sushi and sashimi, as well as appetizers, soups, salads and Japanese entrees. The restaurant’s sushi chef, Takasa is an artist of sorts.

KC Chang, who recently took ownership of the restaurant, said Taka is “very particular about his sushi ingredients.”

Taka creates his various sushi and sashimi pieces and helps customers understand the foods he makes. KC also takes care of the customers, helping them with food selection and giving them an education in Japanese cuisine.

“This is not complicated food,” KC says. “It is simple and delicious. Our customers enjoy what we have here.”

KC is not Japanese – he was born in Taiwan and came to the United States almost 20 years ago. Taka is Japanese and has been a sushi chef for 30 years.

“We know we have good food,” KC says. “Our customers enjoy the atmosphere and the freshness of the dishes.

“I like to tell people they are missing a good meal if they don’t eat here.”

KC says he considers Japanese food a “real treat. When you work hard all day, you should come here and have sushi and sashimi. It will make you feel good.”

The restaurant features familiar tastes such as teriyaki and tempura, but it also provides more adventurous dishes with such specials as cherry blossom rolls, with spicy tuna, crab, cucumber and avocado wrapped in pink soybean paper or a Fountain Hills roll, which is an inside out roll with salmon and apple. An inside out roll means the rice is on the outside of the roll, while the more familiar roll has the rice wrapped in a variety of covers such as seaweed, rice paper or inari tofu.

Sushi typically does not feature raw fish. Sashimi is raw, with fine grades of seafood sliced thin and adorned with spices, sauces and garnishes. Some sashimi is cooked, to change the texture of the raw dish. Raw octopus is rubbery, and cooking it makes it more tender.

Regardless of whether a customer wants sushi, sashimi or an entrée, KC will see to it that he or she enjoys the meal.

“We are warm and friendly here,” he says. “We like families to come in for a meal. Kids like sushi when they are introduced to it. They have fun with it.”

They may have fun with the food because it is so creative and colorful. A caterpillar roll, with freshwater eel and cucumber topped with avocado and eel sauce resembles a caterpillar. The cherry blossom boat, a sampler with a variety of cooked items, is a sight to behold.

Children’s art decorates the walls of the restaurant. They color pictures for Taka while they wait for their meals. The art is then posted on the walls over the sushi bar.

“We want the children to feel special,” KC says. “We enjoy their art work.”

Sakura Inn is located at 11883 N. Saguaro Blvd. Lunch hours are Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner hours are Sunday through Thursday from 5 to 9:30 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m.

Call (480) 836-8008, or (480) 836-8300 for reservations or to order food to go.

This story was featured February 2007 .