By Maria Leichty
Earlier in October, the Sushi on the Rocks near the intersection of 82nd Street and Allisonville Road changed ownership and became Sakana of Tokyo.
Owner Batbold “Bart” Tsevegmid has been in the sushi business for 17 years.
Originally from Mongolia, Tsevegmid worked for a sushi restaurant in Jeffersonville, Ind., for 11 years before opening one in Chicago. He said he wanted to return to Indiana so he opened Sakana of Tokyo.
“It is a nice atmosphere and good location,” Tsevegmid said. “All we need is good food and service.”
Some changes to the menu include the fresh fish that comes in a couple of times a week, the bigger portions, and the homemade sauces.
Tsevegmid said he also likes mixing up the ingredients. He has customers create their own because he likes to work without menus.
“I want to give them a choice of what they want,” Tsevegmid said.
The different lunch specials and bento boxes provide lots of variety.
Lunch specials are between $7 and $9 and come with a soup starter, your choice of California roll, shrimp tempura, or dynamite rolls, salad, an egg roll, steamed rice and two gyoza (similar to dumplings).
I would say a bang for your buck.
Some rolls Tsevegmid suggests are the “very unique and very healthy” mango and salmon Hawaiian roll and the Red Bull roll which comes with steak for non-seafood lovers.
Server Kelsey Deckard has worked at this location since April 2013.
Some differences she has seen between restaurants have been the fresher fish and the “unbeatable” lunch prices.
Her favorite dish is the specialty rolls.
“I’ve tried all the specialty rolls and have not disliked any of them,” Deckard said.
The restaurant seats more than 100 people.
There is an upstairs with a sushi bar as well. Meetings or private parties for 50 to 70 people can be held there.
Tsevegmid said one of the reasons he liked this venue was because it had more room than his last restaurant.
Hours are Monday to Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5 to 10 p.m., Friday it is open until 10:30 p.m., and Saturday from 12 to6 p.m.
