After five years of business in South Baltimore/Federal Hill, Shoyou Sushi will relocate from 1504 Light St. to a bigger space less than a block north at 1450 Light St. The new, first-floor restaurant will be located at the corner of Light St. and Fort Ave. adjacent to Urban Deli.
Owner Bruce “Sushi Bruce” Lee told SouthBMore.com that his lease was up and it was time to find a larger space. The new Shoyou will be more than twice the size of the current restaurant, increasing from about 700 sq. ft. to 1,500 sq. ft. It will have a larger, brand new kitchen and the seating capacity will increase from 22 to about 43. The new space will again have an open sushi bar so patrons can watch Lee and his chefs at work.
Lee said that business has been good and wanted to say, “thank you, Federal Hill!” He added that customers would always ask him when he planned to move to a larger space.
Lee said he is the most happy about getting a bigger kitchen which will help his team get food out faster. Shoyou Sushi, which was just voted SouthBMore’s Best Sushi, typically has lines to get a table or carryout on most nights. Popular dishes include the Japanese Burrito, Hot Night Baby and Baked Lobster rolls, and the Poke Tuna Salad.
Shoyou is currently BYOB, but Lee is hoping to purchase a liquor license to transfer to the new space. He will also likely be adding a bowl of ramen to the menu. Lee said it will just be one type of ramen with pork broth and likely pork belly. Lee was hoping to add ramen at the current location for the past few years, but said he struggled to find the space in his kitchen for this new menu item.
Shoyou will be the first tenant at this Light St. retail space in more than 15 years. The building was renovated in recent years after previously falling into disrepair and partially collapsing. It also has new apartment above the retail space. Lee received a construction loan from M&T Bank and is working with a general contractor on the renovation.
Lee is hoping to open the new Shoyou Sushi around Christmas and will likely add to his current team of seven employees. Shoyou is open for lunch and dinner on Monday and Wednesday through Saturday. It is open from 3pm to 930pm on Sundays and is closed on Tuesdays.
Lee grew up in South Korea and worked as a sushi chef in Kansas and Los Angeles after coming to the United States. He was offered a job in Baltimore and expected to only be here a few years before moving to New York City. Now after opening Shoyou Sushi, Lee, who lives in the neighborhood with his wife and five-month-old son, said he is here to stay.
“We love it here,” Lee told SouthBMore.com. “Baltimore really changed my mind.”
Current Space
Future Space
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via http://southbmore.com/2017/10/19/shoyou-sushi-relocating-to-a-larger-space-in-federal-hill/
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