Sushi Nine reopened its doors to customers this week after being closed for two years due to a fire that destroyed half of the restaurant in January 2016. The restaurant is in its original location on Western Boulevard with the same owner and most of its original menu.
“We did not expect so many people all of a sudden,” owner Lisa Fatfat said. “We are a bit understaffed due to this and everyone is new and still learning the menu. We have a great new head sushi chef whom is doing a great job though. We are all adjusting to the menu and should have everything running smoothly within a couple weeks.”
Despite the hiccups the staff has faced with the grand opening, business has grown each day. Fatfat said most of the customers are understanding about the wait.
“We have even had to close down the restaurant for a few hours every day just to give the staff a break to prepare for the next wave of customers since there has not been the usual after-lunch lull,” Fatfat said.
Even though the lines are long, students are meeting the reopening with enthusiasm.
“I am excited for the reopening because I love sushi and it’s close to campus and not too expensive,” said Shelby Brookshire, a third-year studying animal science. “It was always really good when I went and they always had [buy one, get one free].”
The restaurant’s debut has been anticipated since the owners announced their plans to rebuild in January 2017. Former students are equally excited for the reopening as well.
“It was a staple to a lot of students at NC State” said Emily Moore, an NC State alumna. “Even if you didn’t care much for the food you still knew it was a major place just to hang out with friends.”
Newer students, as well as upperclassmen that never went, have expressed their excitement to try the restaurant.
“I had planned to go at some point since a lot of people in my fraternity that are older students always talked about how it was so good,” said Fredi Reyes, a third-year studying zoology.
“I also really like Asian food.”
Danielle Wyckoff, first-year studying economics, said she has been waiting to try the restaurant even before she began attending NC State.
“I am excited since whenever I would come to visit my boyfriend at State before I started going here,” Wyckoff said. “We would talk about going but never went. Now that I know they don’t serve just sushi, I am excited to try it.”
Sushi Nine is happy about the return of old customers and excited to have new ones as well. The restaurant is located just past Bojangles at 3812 Western Blvd.
Newly reopened Raleigh restaurant Sushi Nine features both a bar and a sushi bar on Jan. 13. The restaurant, located off of Western Blvd., is serving customers again in a new building after about two years. The original building suffered damage from a fire in Jan. of 2016.
