I love sushi! So I was very excited when Han the Sushi Man opened recently. I have heard very good reviews for this restaurant. Today, for my first, I got to experience Han’s sushi for myself. Greg accompanied me and this was a first for him as well, as he’s never eaten sushi before.
The restaurant is located in a storefront in a strip mall at 1901 E 32nd Street. The interior is fresh, colorful and brightly lit. Cozy tables offer seating for 35 or so diners. Carry out is available. Han the Sushi Man offers a large selection of sushi choices plus salad and soup. I had my favorite, the traditional California Roll, and Greg selected one of the restaurant’s recommended favorites, the Crunchy Roll, featuring shrimp. Both were delicious! We sampled each other’s rolls and I thought the Crunchy Roll was wonderful as well. I was so enjoying my sushi that I ate two pieces of my California Roll before I remembered to take a picture! Greg gave a thumbs up for sushi and especially liked the wasabi, although he quickly learned to have a tiny amount with each bite.
Han’s story is the realization of the American Dream. He moved to the US in 2001, from Myanmar, formerly called Burma, seeking political asylum. He ended up in the San Jose, CA area with $38 in his pocket. He eventually found a job rolling sushi. He perfected his skills in California, Oklahoma City, Chicago and Detroit before arriving in Joplin, MO, and taking a job as the sushi preparer at Pricecutters.
Han was wise to include his name in his restaurant name. He developed quite a following during his time at Pricecutters. With such a loyal group of customers, it was time for him to take the next step in achieving his dream. On February 3 of this year, his restaurant opened and from the reports I’ve heard, it has been very successful.
I considered my meal there a success and I know I will return to eat at Han the Sushi Man again! And next time, in the spirit of trying new things, I will NOT have the California Roll, but will get beyond the familiar and experience something more exotic!
