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f you stood in the Calle Real shopping mall Perera. In fact, it’s the only fish market in Goleta, parking lot in front of the now-closed Petri- aside from grocery stores. The fish comes from ni’s and spun a complete 360-degree circle, wholesale markets in Los Angeles, so the quality your eyes would take in four Japanese-food- is high—sushi grade, in many instances—“and themed businesses owned by the husband-and- it doesn’t have the cheapest prices, either,” said wife team of Laxman Perera and Keiko Miyata. Perera candidly. He even introduced Chef James The couple’s holdings include the regionally uni- Sly, of Sly’s in Carpinteria, to the joys of shopping versal Sushi Teri (with four locations between at the market.“He loves it,” said Perera, who actuLompoc and Carpinteria) as well as Nikka Japa- ally owns the building that houses Sly’s and also nese Market, the Nikka Fish Market & Grill, and, bought Henning’s Cake Boutique on Figueroa as of last month, Nikka Ramen. (Nikka, a name Street from that family a few years ago. chosen by the market’s original owner, apparently Today, though, the excitement brewing in this means “Japanese Chinese.”) Mall of Goleta is Nikka Ramen, which opened just before Thanksgiving and is already mobbed. Their food world began with Sushi Teri, the economical yet delicious way Santa BarAs in all things, Perera and Miyata took the barians crush their cravings for raw fish trendy comfort-food concept seriously.“Our and sweet marichef is in Japan right now, studying at a nated chicken, ramen school for the next two salmon, and weeks,” said Perera before it opened in Novembeef. Intimate ber. “The food is and homey, each going to be very Sushi Teri offers reasonable. We’ll a middlebrow Build Japanese Food empire approach to Japahave rice bowls By D.J. PallaDino and poké.” The menu nese dishes more reflects ramen prices often offered on the higher end ranging in the low two digits in this town, from and throws the holy trinity of Japa Japanese warm-up dishes: gyoza, edamame, Arigato to Yoichi’s. and shishito peppers. “We liked to eat there when we were students,” said Perera. “That’s Perera denies marching toward a how we met, at City College going food empire of any sort. They’re too busy. “We really are involved in every to school. So when it came to be for aspect of our businesses; we make all sale, we wanted to buy it.” Both Miyata, who was born in the decisions, but at the same time, we Nagoya, Japan, and Perera, who hails live behind the scenes as best we can,” he from Sri Lanka, wound up at SBCC, said. “This ramen restaurant is mainly for studying business and economics. “She went the people who shop at the Nikka store. They’re on to UCSB,” said Perera, but he was too eager very excited about it opening.” to get into real-world commerce. They bought Two weeks later when I visit on a Sunday the mini-chain in 1997 and kept it small despite night, it’s packed. The delicious ramen I ate at the franchising temptations, only adding the spot in counter was creamy pork broth with thin noodles Lompoc. “It’s a very hard town, Lompoc,” said and a big slab of pork belly. The broth simmers Laxman. “Restaurants don’t last there more than for more than 24 hours, explained Perera as he served other guests, coached the kitchen, and two years. But we’re doing fine.” The next stop on their stealthy climb to success talked to a young friend who dropped in. The was Nikka, the oldest store in the 30-something- friend asked what he did for a hobby nowadays, year-old Calle Real shopping center that once and Perera stopped what he was doing. “Hob“Hob didn’t allow chains.“I’m pretty sure it was the first bies,” he proclaimed in disbelief. “Who has time store in the mall,” said Perera. The original mar- for hobbies?” ket was sparse but accommodatingly pan-Asian, with an emphasis on Japanese items, prepared food, and hard-to-find essentials such as miso, bonito flakes, and dried kelp. Nowadays, Nikka’s remarkable range includes gourmet tofu, finely graded soy sauces, and a variety of sesame oils. The clientele is remarkably steady and grateful. The couple liked Calle Real, so they decided to do seafood next, mixing a market with casual dining.“There was a fish market there a long time ago, but we started this one long after it had gone,” said
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