Kaity Brown
Townsman Staff
Kinbari Sushi restaurant is back in business, bringing Kimberley a taste of Japan with quality sashimi and sushi, noodle dishes and traditional flavours.
New owner Sooseok Kang, nicknamed Soo, is passionate about small-town Kimberley and knew that it was the perfect place for him to share good food with good neighbours.
"I love Kimberley's nature; it's a beautiful place. Fresh air. Nice place and nice people," said Soo.
Soo never sends people home hungry and you'll be in love at first bite. His foods are fresh and crisp with a perfect balance of flavours and beautiful presentation to match.
There is something for everyone at Kinbari – even those who aren't fish fans. And Soo is always sure to go the extra mile – he even has gluten-free soy sauce available.
Soo said he loves the small-town feeling of Kimberley and that he is passionate about making friends within the community.
After hitting a bit of a rough patch, the beloved sushi place is back in business. The Kinbari restaurant re-opened on July 18 with new owner Soo, who said that he has owned the restaurant since May.
Soo said that the biggest challenge, and the reason for them being closed for a while, was that it was difficult to find the right chef.
Not only was it important to find someone who was talented and who had honed the sushi craft, Soo wanted to finding someone who was as much in love with the community of Kimberley as he was and who would be willing to live here.
Peter Yoon and Yun Choi are the new chefs at the restaurant and will be serving up the quality dishes.
Soo himself took culinary programs at a Korean academic school. As well, he took some culinary programs in Vancouver and owned a restaurant in Kelowna for eight years.
"I think that as the new owner I have a lot of experience in Japanese food and a better knowledge about the food," said Soo.
Soo studied Japanese cuisine and is well versed in the culture despite the fact that he himself is from South Korea.
"Because Japan and South Korea are very close together, each country's food is popular at each other's country. So there are lots of Japanese academic schools teaching about Japanese food in Korea, and there are lots of Korean academic schools teaching about Korean food in Japan as well."
Soo is passionate about sharing authentic Japanese cuisine with people in Kimberley. He encourages those who may think they won't like it to give it a try.
"Sushi is actually really good for your health," said Soo. "I would like to offer the chance for everyone to try these special rolls and sashimi."
Kinbari will be open every night from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. except for Tuesdays and is located in the Platzl across from Black Bear Books and Video.