Ginza

To owners John and Jane Namkoong, Ginza is a gift from God.

Jane Namkoong prayed for 40 days about what to do next in life, and on the last day God told her she needed to open a restaurant, she said. She soon found its future home in a burgeoning corner of Inverness Village retail center.

This month, Ginza celebrates its seventh birthday.

The fusion Japanese sushi bar and Korean barbecue establishment capitalizes on providing diners with a one-of-a-kind experience. It’s culinary niche: no one nearby serves Korean barbecue.

“When the owner decided to open the restaurant he took a risk, but it paid off,” chef and manager Don Shin said.

Shin has been with Ginza since the opening. He leads a staff of 20 and kitchen staff of six.

“We work like family,” he said.

Also, one does not simply order Ginza’s Korean barbecue, bul-go-gi, and receive it ready to eat. Servers deliver uncooked meat to be cooked fresh by the customer on Ginza’s built-in grill tables.

“It’s a neat experience if you haven’t tried it,” Shin said.

House favorites are the galibi, short ribs and sushi dishes Yummy Yummy Roll and Volcano Roll. Ginza was even bitten by the football bug with its Bama and Tiger Rolls. Its menu includes more than 40 different sushi rolls and array of other Asian-inspired cuisine.

“There are a bit of tricks, but they are traditional,” Shin said.

Sushi is made at a glass bar lining the back of the restaurant. The rounded glass has a dual purpose to display things like octopus tentacles and fresh fish and to provide a place to view preparation. Fish is brought in three to four times a week by a variety of distributors from Hawaii and Japan.

In fact, Ginza was named after a district in Tokyo, Japan. It means “server town and prosperous,” Shin said.

Through Ginza’s double-door entrance is a feng-shui paradise. The décor reflects the style of the Korean and Japanese food served. Each inch of Ginza is decorated from the ink squirt painting that lines the back of the restaurant to the Korean-style bathrooms.

Diners eat beef from lettuce, and side dishes are served in 2- to 3-inch bowls because you don’t just order one thing at Ginza. Most dishes come with Korean sides like rice, soups, salads and edamame.

Chopsticks, instead of silverware, come in rolled up napkins. Mesh shades dim the room, and overhead string lights lend to Ginza’s cozy atmosphere.

The Namkoongs celebrate a special relationship with their customers. Ginza has a loyal customer base, and in turn, the Namkoongs take care of them. Jane Namkoong even sends birthday cards to the restaurant frequenters.

As the restaurant is celebrating a card-worthy seventh birthday, the owners say it’s planning to keep bringing sushi and Korean barbecue to the area.