SanSai - Japanese Grill

Add SanSai Japanese Grill to Season’s Festivities

Ventura Star, City of Ventura, CA–2003– Taking time out from holiday shopping and busy schedules–of stress in general–do sit down and have a good meal likely sounds good to a lot of people at this time of year. For many, SanSai Japanese Grill is and will be the place to go.

The new restaurant, located in Ventura’s Gateway Plaza shopping center; offers fresh and healthy Japanese cuisine in what owners call a “fast-casual” atmosphere with both indoor and outdoor seating.

Eating out and eating healthy aren’t always on the go lifestyle. For those who also fancy exotic flavor that won’t break the bank, choices are even more limited. SanSai may make that decision easier.

The restaurant offers a variety of salads, sushi, and grilled chicken, steak, salmon, and shrimp combinations–all with special sauces and dressings made fresh daily. Fresh tossed salads made throughout the day are signature items that come with most.

“People can get the same high-quality food they get a casual sit-down restaurants, but in a faster environment and at reasonable prices,” says Dan Burns, co-founder of the restaurant chain headquartered in California.

Burns, a St. Louisan who has been developing national chains for more than 20 years, and co-founder Yon Suk Lipsky, the culinary force behind SanSai’s menu, opened the first restaurant in January last year.

They now have five locations, five under construction and more planned. Burns and Lipsky met in California, where both were developing restaurants, and were inspired to create a new one together.

“We wanted to create a Japanese restaurant where people could go every day, not only for special occasions,” Burns says.

The concept was an instant hit thanks in part to the growing popularity of Japanese food.

“Nationally, it has surpassed Mexican as the favorite ethnic food for the people 35 and under.” Burns says, “We didn’t set out to create a healthy restaurant but a by-product of Japanese food is that it’s very healthy.”

After the concept took off in California , Burns quickly turned to developing the market in his hometown.