Counter Intelligence: McKee to shake up sushi in Northeast
Rick Nelson, Star Tribune
Cub Foods, Jerry's Foods and Whole Foods Market shoppers -- as well as college students and corporate cafeteria diners -- have probably tasted the work of Sushi Avenue, even if they've never heard of the company.
After six years of supplying California rolls to more than 150 Twin Cities retail, academic and corporate outlets, the Eagan-based business is opening its first restaurant. Where to begin? CEO Nay Hla started by hiring Shea Inc., the Minneapolis design and marketing firm that has been behind more Twin Cities restaurants than I can count.
"They have the direct connection to Asian fisheries, but not expertise in designing and running restaurants," said Shea grand pooh-bah David Shea. "I told them I'd talk to my friend Tim McKee."
Lots of people seem to be having that same conversation. Japanese is semi-uncharted territory for the James Beard award-winning chef, co-owner of a pair of top-performing Mediterranean restaurants (La Belle Vie and Solera in Minneapolis) and a barbecue joint (Smalley's Caribbean Barbeque in Stillwater). But McKee's work as a consultant and mentor has turned around the culinary fortunes of seafood-focused Sea Change, the Guthrie Theater's primary dining destination. Ditto his recent menu overhaul at Il Gatto, the Italian descendant to Parasole Restaurant Holdings' former Figlio in Calhoun Square.
"This has been a great learning experience for me; it's added a whole new section to my library," said McKee with a laugh. "Sushi isn't what I've been doing, but I eat enough of it. Sushi Avenue knows the sushi part; I just want to introduce ways to make it more competitive in this market."
He's doing that by adding robata, the Japanese tradition of simple grilling over charcoal (a local example is Obento-Ya, 1510 Como Av. SE., Mpls., www.obento-ya.com), as well as developing a wide selection of noodle soups. He's also rethinking some of the classic appetizers -- edamame, tempura dishes, gyoza -- that every local Japanese restaurant seems compelled to carry.
"I'm not talking crazy stuff," McKee. "We'll have gyoza, but instead of the typical rendition, we're working on something with duck and ginger."
The restaurant, called Masu, is going into an airy former bank building (330 E. Hennepin Av., Mpls.) that was most recently home to a cookware store. One notable design feature of the 110-seat operation will be a combination liquor bar (pouring infused sakes created by La Belle Vie mixmaster Johnny Michaels) and sushi bar.
"Everyone says that sushi is great, but no one ever sits at the sushi bar," said Shea. "So we're blending bartenders and sushi chefs on the same line. It'll be novel, that's for sure."
Shea said that the space will be peppered by Pachinko machines -- a Japanese pinball device -- and edgy Japanese cartoon images. "It'll be a great bar scene, but serious food from McKee and serious sourcing from Sushi Avenue," he said.
The Masu name, by the way, comes from the traditional box that catches the overflow from the sake flask. If all goes as planned, the restaurant will open in March, followed by more outlets, including a fast-casual suburban version.
"Nay is a suburban guy, and I told him he needed to establish credibility in the city first, and then move into the suburbs," said Shea. "You open downtown, you get the publicity and the buzz, and then you can move into the suburbs."
RICK NELSON
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