Like Father,
A Buckhead Tradition is Reborn in Sandy Springs with Bishoku Sushi Article Helen Grebe
I
t’s a busy day on Roswell Road, cars jutting in and out of lanes as I turn my blinker on and slide into a tight parking spot in Parkside Shopping Center. It’s lunch hour and I’m anticipating the sweet crunch of a spicy tuna roll that will yield respite from my looming deadlines. Bishoku is my destination, a sushi restaurant that serves both lunch and dinner along with seasonal specials. Bishoku, owned by Jackie FukuyaMerkel, a gorgeous woman who is upbeat and dressed smartly, yields a warm energy upon entering. There’s an inviting mix of wood tables with lanterns overhead while Jackie Fukuya-Merkel supple jazz plays. If Jackie’s name sounds familiar, you’ve probably dined at her father’s restaurant, Sushi Huku, located in Buckhead on Northside and Powers Ferry for 20 years before he sold it to new management. Jackie grew up in the business with an attention to detail inherited from her father. Bishoku is the sole provider of sushi for the Ritz Carlton’s Sunday brunch, for the St. Regis, Lowes Hotel, Mandarin Oriental and Chateau Elan. Jackie has a strict ethic of quality, paying for the best fish available and shopping for her own produce while inspecting every item before it enters her kitchen. “Working hard is the only way to make this business work,” she emphasizes as I peer at the fresh sashimi being sliced at the 24seat sushi bar and inhale a steaming bowl of miso soup. I liken Bishoku to an elegant, Asian version of the infamous pub on television’s “Cheers:” a home away from home, or in this case, a second dining room away from your own, where everyone knows your name and your favorite order. While I peruse the menu, Jackie is moving constantly, greeting a regular couple by name while reminding another group of departing patrons that she’ll see them at Bishoku’s sushi and jazz night (Thursdays at 6:30 p.m.). “I know 80 percent of the people that walk in my door,” notes 24
BuckHavenLifestyle.com | February 2015
Jackie, “and I believe that tradition, combined with delivering quality food, sets us apart from other sushi destinations.” For lunch, I settle on a combo, reasonably priced at $13, which includes my choice of two sushi rolls (spicy tuna and their bestselling crunchy crab roll) soup, salad and dessert. The salad is my favorite portion of lunch, crisp with a warm, spicy ginger dressing. The sushi rolls are delicious and just what you expect from a traditional sushi restaurant: no fancy fusion ingredients like mango or spicy remoulade sauce. My rolls are pure…to the point…classic sushi. The presentation of dessert delivers that extra something that sets Bishoku apart. I’m satiated and well fit to return to my hectic world. Before paying, I glance at the dinner menu, for future returns. I’m eyeing the lobster and avocado spring rolls at $10.95 (a bargain) and the short ribs marinated in miso (yum). My husband will flip for the king mushrooms and snapper in foil with a soy ginger sauce (at $14.95 for dinner this is a no-brainer). Complimenting Jackie on her perfect meal delivery she smiles and notes I am now a regular. In the competitive restaurant business, the devil is in the details. For Bishoku, success lies in the details. Bishoku’s mastered delivering high quality food--and that something extra--that keeps folks coming back.
Bishoku 404.252.7998 | 5920 Roswell Rd. BishokuSushi.com