Jacksonviile

Jacksonville Sushi Spot is Opening With Full Menu and an Omakase Counter

Kobu will likely open by the end of the month.

Image from Kobu

JACKSONVILLE, FL — Kobu, a new Japanese-focused restaurant from owner Tuna Lui, is preparing to open later this month at 1435 Naldo Ave #1, Jacksonville, FL 32207, Lui told Business Debut in a phone interview.

Lui said he is targeting an opening window between July 28 and July 31 while staff training continues. Kobu will seat about 36 guests in the dining room and 32 on the patio, Lui shared with Business Debut.

What to Expect

Kobu will feature a compact menu designed for quick dining, Lui told Business Debut. Seating will include a main dining room, patio and a reservation-only omakase room.

The private omakase space will operate by advance reservation and is planned as a chef-led tasting experience, Lui said. Pricing is expected at about $175 per person, with curated pairings.

Lui said the restaurant will draw on his two decades in the industry and his experience at his first restaurant, Ginger Bistro, which focuses on broader Asian cuisine. "I want to focus on one thing: sushi," he shared with Business Debut.

Lui described a menu centered on hand rolls, sushi and sashimi. The emphasis will be on traditional techniques and fish quality.

The kitchen will serve Japanese wagyu prepared tableside on a grill, with wagyu fried rice as one of the offerings, Lui told Business Debut. He also plans to use binchotan charcoal for grilled dishes like sea bass and king salmon.

Lui said about 80 percent of the seafood program will feature dry-aged fish. A dry-aging cooler in the dining room will display whole fish hanging as they age by the day, he shared.

Future plans include whole-fish tuna breakdown demonstrations that show guests how larger cuts are separated, similar to butchering a steak, Lui said. The bar program will emphasize cocktails and Japanese whisky.