Eddy Chin, who owns Hollister’s AJ Sushi, said he wanted to try something novel when he planned a sushi bar to compete with Los Banos’ abundant fast-food offerings.
“I’m trying to compete with these guys,” Chin, 51, said. “The price is very similar, and (sushi) is healthier, tastier and fresh-made.”
Time 4 Sushi, 245 W. Pacheco Blvd., Suite A and B, is set to have its grand opening July 8. That day, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the business will offer its menu free to all comers. Drinks will be $1.
Chin, also the head chef, solely owns Hollister-based A.J. Sushi Restaurant on San Benito Street – which has been open longer than six years. In his newest venture, he has three partners.
Chin said he had customers visiting him in Hollister and asking him to bring his sushi to Los Banos.
Chin said his business model allows him to keep his prices low in Los Banos, lower than his Hollister eatery.
At Time 4 Sushi, customers order at the counter and then dine in or out – he’s cut out the servers.
Dee Forman, 51, one of Chin’s partners, said the partners plan to hire nine or 10 employees. She said her meetings in town have been pleasant so far.
“We found that the people are very nice, very generous,” Forman said.
The restaurant’s menu has 14 different rolls, seven nigiri choices and three sashimi, made of everything from crab and tuna to eel and shrimp. Nigiri is a piece of meat on a ball of rice, and sashimi is the meat without rice. Like most types of sushi, they include raw fish.
Chin’s most popular rolls in Hollister are the Las Vegas roll, which has tempura shrimp and crab stick and is deep fried, and the crispy cream roll, with cream cheese, avocado, eel and cashews.
The spicy-and-sweet sauce is the key to the Las Vegas menu’s popularity, he said.
“Once you try it, you can’t stop,” Chin said. “It’s good, though it’s healthy.”
