Credit: Hako
Sapporo Sushi (1906 E. 6th St., 216-579-7000) has been a downtown mainstay for 15 years. The small shop on the alleyway, beloved for its sushi, sashimi, rolls, noodle bowls and teriyaki dishes, will be rolling down the shutters for good on August 1.

But fans of the owners and food won’t have to wait long to enjoy both again as they are relocating the shop to Lakewood. The new restaurant will be called Hako (13603 Madison Ave., 216-273-7110), and it will be run as a partnership with Jackie Kim, the owner of Ohashi in North Olmsted. The space formerly was home to Kim’s Aji Noodle Bar and, before that, Yuzu.

In addition to nigiri sushi, sashimi and dozens of traditional and eclectic rolls, the menu will feature “pan sushi.” Popular in Hawaii, pan sushi is a more carefree style of sushi that features layers of rice, fish, roe and sauces, which are pressed and then cut into tidy squares. Also on the menu are various bento boxes that include multiple components.

When it opens on August 11, the restaurant will have indoor and outdoor dining.

This article appears in Jul 15-21, 2020.

For 25 years, Douglas Trattner has worked as a full-time freelance writer, editor and author. His work as co-author on Michael Symon's cookbooks have earned him four New York Times Best-Selling Author honors, while his longstanding role as Scene dining editor has garnered awards of its own.