Tsunami Sushi on Highland quietly closed doors in August following a company bankruptcy and the closure of its New Orleans location. The closure left a vacant space at 1 Smart Way Suite 100 in Baton Rouge, and a local sushi restaurant is moving in.
On Oct. 28, Umami Japanese Bistro announced that it’s opening a second location inside the space on Highland Road, according to a social media post. The targeted opening date is early next year.
Located at 3930 Burbank Drive, the original Umami location opened in 2015 and is currently owned by Jimmy Nguyen, Tien Le and Michael Tran, who are also the owners of Geisha Sushi with a Flair in Prairieville. Umami features an elevated menu with frequent specials, sushi rolls, nigiri, hibachi and small plates such as hamachi crudo and lollipop lambchops.
The owners signed the lease Oct. 27 and should receive the keys in a day or so, according to Le. Though details are limited, the second location will bring new energy, food-wise and concept-wise, and customers can expect new menu items.
“The only thing that’s pretty much going to be the same is we always guarantee you the best quality ingredients and the best resources,” Le said. “But menu-wise, creativity-wise, there’s going to be a good bit of differences between the two.”
Le said they were originally approached by the landlord years ago before Tsunami Highland occupied the space. Now that Tsunami is no longer there, the landlord reached out again, and the Umami owners decided to take the opportunity.
Le said he hopes to open the new location at the beginning of next year, specifically January 2027. The Umami team is currently drafting ideas of what needs to be changed in the space.
AloJapan.com