When something starts going well, it just makes good sense to roll with it. After opening his
first Tamaki restaurant in Lansing's Frandor Shopping Center last year, restaurateur Frank Cheng witnessed a dramatic response to his unique take on fast, fresh, custom-made sushi and decided it was time to grow. In addition to plans to open an East Lansing location, a new Tamaki is slated to join the mix in downtown Ann Arbor this fall.
"We were looking around and Ann Arbor fits the demographic," says Cheng. "We came here and drove by, and there was a space open for us. It was just what we were looking for."
The 1,800 square-foot Liberty St. location will feature the same mix of rice bowls, noodles and custom-made sushi that has made
Tamaki a success in Lansing. According to Cheng, the convenience of affordable, quick sushi made to order is a new offering ideal for its location.
"Its proximity to campus, as well as Google and Barracuda Networks is really good," Cheng says. "We think they will love it. We're assembly-line Asian food. You don't see that elsewhere. You get to choose what you want at an affordable price."
Cheng hopes to start renovations on the space in August and open the new Tamaki in October. The restaurant will employ about10 workers and seat 40 to 50 diners.
Source: Frank Cheng, Tamaki
Writer: Natalie Burg
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