Lexington, KY - In the time since Cha Tamura first opened her Chevy Chase restaurant, she has seen many of her early customers grow up, finish school and start families - in fact, one of her current employees, now a college student at Transylvania University, has been dining there since he was 9 years old. The loyalty of her customers and her staff is a personal highlight for Tamura, whose Japanese-themed eatery, Tomo Restaurant, celebrates 10 years of business this month.
Tomo is not the first foray into the restaurant business for Tamura, who is originally from South Korea. Having moved to the United States with her sister when she was in her early 20s, she operated a restaurant called Sushi Zen in the Woodhill Center with her ex-husband for about four years before moving to Chevy Chase. While that restaurant saw its share of success, serving a primarily Japanese clientele, Sushi Zen also had its share of problems - namely, it was situated within a non-residential shopping plaza where vandalism was not terribly infrequent, in a too-small venue plagued by a fickle air conditioning unit.
"It was not sushi zen, it was sushi sauna," Tamura recalls with a
laugh. "This location (in Chevy Chase) did a lot for me."
At the time it opened, Tomo was the first business to occupy the new Saratoga Center (adjacent to Ashland Plaza), and moving into a brand new building in a different part of town brought its unique challenges and advantages for the restaurant. The proprietors hired architect Scott Guyon of Guyon Architects to turn their blank slate of a storefront into a carefully designed restaurant that reflected a blend of a modern aesthetic with a more traditional Japanese design, utilizing clean lines, wooden benches and booths, circles and squares. The ambiance and quality of food - "We focus on quality, not speed," Tamura said - both contribute to a dining experience that is perfect for groups of friends, families and romantic diners alike.
Since the mid '90s, Tamura has witnessed an upswing in local appreciation for Japanese food, which wasn't a mainstay in Lexington when she opened Sushi Zen about 15 years ago.
"Ten years ago, there were very few Japanese restaurants (in Lexington)," she said. "Today, there are more than 20."
To that end, the Chevy Chase clientele - a unique blend of university students, young professionals and established families - has provided Tomo an ideal audience for its cuisine, which consists of traditional and adventurous Japanese and fusion items. From a revolving door of sushi specials to Tempura and noodle-based dishes, Japanese chef Hiroshi Aoyagi, who has been in the kitchen for six years, keeps the menu fresh and conventional at the same time. Recently, he has been working with Joe Hall, a culinary student at Sullivan University with a background in French cuisine, on some French-Japanese fusion specials, many of which will likely make their way onto the specials board during the restaurant's 10-year celebration, scheduled to take place throughout the month September.
Tamura says the overwhelming majority of her customers are regulars, and that she really enjoys getting to know them. Likewise, she sees her staff, most of whom are college students, as part of her extended family. She says she wouldn't be able to juggle running the restaurant and raising her own children without being able to trust and rely on them.
"I don't have a business partner," she said, adding that, in many ways, a lot of her employees fill that role for her.
Tamura is excited to honor 10 years of success with her devoted staff and customers with an extended celebration to last throughout the month of September. See below for details and contact the restaurant for more information.
Tomo Anniversary Specials
In honor of its 10-year anniversary, Tomo will offer a variety of specials and promotions. Reservations are recommended for each event. Call (859) 269-9291 for reservations and more information.
Sept. 1 -
10: Wine Tasting. $70 per person includes six-course meal plus a specially paired bottle of wine for each of four main courses. Recommended for groups of four or more. Menu to include seared salmon, duck confit, Japanese "Konsome" clam soup, Chilean Sea Bass and more.
Sept. 11 -
16: Traditional Saki Tasting, $45 per person.
Sept. 18 -
21: Kirin Beer promotional week. Kirin memorabilia available with purchase of the beer.
Sept. 22: Opening day anniversary - sushi buffet, $25 per person. Reservations recommended.