Hella Sushi is not your usual sushi restaurant.. It’s a dining experience where they proclaim, “street art meets culinary craft.”
This latest addition to Market and Main downtown Martinez features an Omakase dining experience, where Chef Benjamin “Tetsu” Stroughter curates the meal and the customer leaves all the details to the chef. Omakase is a Japanese phrase that means “I’ll leave it up to you”.
It has quietly been operating inside Market and Main since August and has already acquired a loyal following. It has recently moved from the back to its now street-front location, replacing Pizza Amore. On November 26, guests were invited to a special premier presentation of Hella Sushi with Chef Tetsu preparing customized sushi dishes.
Sushi has been a staple of Chef Tetsu’s entire life. Growing up in Japan until his teen years before moving to the United States, he has worked in Japanese restaurants his entire adult life (for 26 years), including over 10 years at Mikuni in Sacramento.
“They had 3, 4 different locations. Each location had about 14 to 15 chefs. So, when I worked all those locations, I met over 100 chefs and picked up what’s good and what’s not good.”
And his last job was the Omakase, serving courses on a yacht in the South Beach Harbor in Alameda. “We also visited and served private home catering with the same Omakase setting, for five to six years. “
In addition to private/custom dining experience, Chef Tetsu recently conducted a Sushi Class where patrons learned to prepare their own Sushi dish.
“I set up all the ingredients and the cutting boards, knife, and everything. I showed them how to make sushi rolls and some nigiri sushi. I served them a few different variations of sake pasting. People really enjoyed it.” Due to its success, plans are to make that a monthly event.
Hella Sushi claims their menu is a fresh and respectful interpretation of traditional Japanese cuisine. From traditional sashimi to signature rolls, experience the freshest catch of the day sourced from local and international fish markets.
Located at 610 Main Street in Martinez. Open Wednesday through Sunday 12P – 8M.