A new kind of cuisine
Chosabi offers fresh spin on Asian dishes
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This article was published 22/08/2016 (3534 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Cho Venevongsa has brought his vision for a fresh, sustainable restaurant to the suburbs of Fort Richmond.
Chosabi, an Asian eatery featuring sushi burritos and poke bowls, opened its second location at 2696 Pembina Hwy. on Aug. 13 at 11 a.m. to serve the hungry lunch crowd just south of the University of Manitoba.
“The minute we flipped the open sign people started pouring in. We had almost 300 that day,” Venevongsa said. “It’s Asian Feng Shui. Mom said that’s the day we should open and that’s the time, no more, no less,” he joked.
Venevongsa, the man behind the Wasabi Group of sushi restaurants, opened his first Chosabi location on King Street earlier this year and found a market hungry for a novel take on Asian food.
Although hesitant to expand at first, the concept proved its worth and Venevongsa, along with restaurant manager Roger Wilkinson, decided to take the brand south.
“I think it’s underserved, this neighbourhood,” Venevongsa said. “It’s too much of the same thing — there’s sushi, and sushi, Chinese restaurants and of course pizza.”
“We want to bring a fresh idea and some food that’s not available here,” Wilkinson added. “We were the first ones to bring poke bowl and sushi burrito to Winnipeg and I think even Canada, probably — so we’re here to spread the love.”
According to Venevongsa, customers have bought into the concept of Chosabi and its menu with dishes filled with fresh tuna, salmon, crab, shrimp, veggies, fruit and more, at prices ranging from $12 to $15.
The sushi burrito is exactly what it sounds like — a sushi roll that’s about the size of a burrito filled with all the mainstays. The poke bowl, conversely, is a Hawaiian inspired dish with marinated tuna or salmon, wakame salad, edamame beans, avocado, carrots, furikake, wasabi aioli, and wonton chips.
“We try to keep our price point reasonable but we still use a high-end product,” Venevongsa said. “From rice, to seaweed, to fish, it’s top-notch.”
“Our seafood is all sustainable,” Wilkinson noted. “We’re recognized by the Oceanwise program out of Vancouver… which is a big win because a lot of restaurants don’t have that certification.”
The business also sources its honey and cucumbers locally while emphasizing recyclable and sustainably-sourced packaging.
Venevongsa said the enthusiasm for the new restaurant has been encouraging and is a sign that locals appreciate, and are ready to support, the efforts of local restaurateurs.
“The most exciting part for me is to see people enjoy what we’ve created and brought to Winnipeg,” Venevongsa said.
Check out Chosabi online at www.chosabi.com or find them on Facebook.