By Ashley Quintela Valle
Whether it’s prepared at the sushi bar, sautéed in the kitchen or flipped at the hibachi grill, La Vista’s newest addition prides itself on quality.
Early last month, the Osaka Steakhouse & Sushi Bar, 12746 Westport Parkway, opened and restaurant owners Amy Chen and Michael Zhu, who are from China, are excited to share their food with the community.
So far, Chen said, the people of the Omaha metro area have been kind and welcoming.
“I really like it here,” she said.
The restaurant offers a variety of Asian cuisine and drinks (including Saki), salads, soups, kitchen entrees such as teriyaki dinner, fried rice, noodles and of course, sushi.
One of the signature rolls is even named after the city. The La Vista Roll is shrimp tempura, spicy tuna and mango, topped with spicy crab, served with miso sauce and eel sauce in soy paper.
When it comes to ingredients, Chen said, she and her husband always make sure to pick the freshest fish.
“My food is special because it is all good quality,” she said. “We want quality food for our customers.”
Though both of them enjoy cooking, Zhu is the head sushi chef while Chen is typically taking care of business in front of house.
With Zhu’s 20 years of sushi experience and her customer care, the two make a great team, she said.
“We worked very hard to make it happen,” Chen said.
Before moving and opening a new restaurant in the area, the couple lived in Galena, Ill., where they owned Little Tokyo, a successful fine dining sushi restaurant.
With two children ages 9 and 11, the the couple said they wanted to move to a bigger city with more opportunities.
Chen said her husband has always wanted to own a bigger restaurant and now, they are living their dream.
Zhu said he wants Osaka Steakhouse & Sushi Bar to stand out from others like it.
“I want my sushi to be the best,” he said. “We want people to bring their family and friends and enjoy.”
With their freshly prepared food and welcoming ambiance, Chen and Zhu said their main goal is to make their customers happy
“My favorite part is when a customer comes and says they enjoy the food,” Chen said. “When I hear it, I’m very happy because I really care about my customers.”
Osaka Steakhouse & Sushi Bar is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
