Next month marks the opening of another sushi restaurant downtown. Paul Wong’s Chinese & Sushi will open Oct. 2 inside Main Street Market.
Sushi has grown in popularity the past few years.
With a menu featuring Chinese main string, stir-fry, lettuce wraps and fresh sushi, the men and women of Baton Rouge will be sure to stop by.
“There will be a Chinese special each day,” said Copper Alvarez, executive director of Baton Rouge Economic Agricultural Development Alliance.
The idea of a sushi restaurant inside Main Street Market was pushed forward by market focus groups.
“Originally when we opened ,we wanted a sushi place,” Alvarez said. “It was not after a restaurant closed that we were finally able to get a sushi restaurant.”
With a 37-year history of Chinese restaurants in Baton Rouge, Paul Wong takes great pride in his family’s name and tradition. With the new craze in sushi, Wong said his ambitions behind his sushi restaurant are simple and straightforward.
“[I want] to use all my experiences, all I have learned in town, to be successful,” Wong said.
Bringing a new restaurant into the Main Street Market is something Wong understands will be a task in itself.
“The food market is very competitive,” Wong said. “It’s no different than in the ’70s when I went to LSU.”
The sushi craze hits all age groups. Jen Douglas, communications junior, said she eats it at least twice a week around town.
“Ichiban’s has the best sushi, but Wahada’s is my favorite place,” Douglas said.
Stopping by Paul Wong’s Chinese & Sushi in the future is something she plans to do.
“I would love a new sushi place,” Douglas said. “I really like the downtown area. I want to try them all.”
—–Contact Chris Ballay at [email protected]