Video Transcript: Akina Sushi & Hibachi taps into Syracuse economic opportunity
Alex Burstein: The last time you drove on Main Street in North Syracuse, you may remember a bank. But, things have taken a tasty twist in the last month.
Hong Zheng: There is no other restaurant in Syracuse that does this concept, like just all-you-can-eat.
Burstein: Akina Sushi is one of the newest area restaurants opening despite recent increases in food prices nationwide. Owner Hong Zheng says affordability has been a priority.
Zheng: When I was in middle school, high school, if they had this kind of concept, I’d be so happy. Like it’d make everything that I wanted so much more easy to get, so much more affordable.
Burstein: While there’s been new fast food in the Syracuse area in recent months, Akina aims to offer a more diverse option for restaurant goers like Gaby Gonzalez.
Gaby Gonzalez: Syracuse is like very diverse so it’s good to have this variety of different foods for people to try.
Burstein: And as food prices skyrocketed across the United States, Akina has found a way to make nutritious at a price customers can love.
Gonzalez: It’s good to have other choices that are an affordable price other than fast food restaurants.
Burstein: While Zhang already operates a similar restaurant in Buffalo, the Syracuse area offers new economic opportunity. The area’s leisure and hospitality industry has bounced back to pre-pandemic levels. And Zhang has seen it first hand, selling out at times due to popularity.
Zheng: I was not expecting the first month or even first few weeks to have this many people coming.
Burstein: Zheng was born in China, but is now building his Syracuse business on Japanese food. And the food, the money and the popularity is all just part of his own American dream. Alex Burstien, NCC News.
NORTH SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Amid a complicated time for businesses in the U.S., Akina Sushi & Hibachi is attempting to make waves in the Syracuse restaurant industry.
The all-you-can-eat restaurant, which opened last month, is already seeing benefits to its economic gamble. The establishment, owned by Hong Zheng, has had to increase its purchase after higher-than-expected demand in the first few weeks.
“There is no other restaurant in Syracuse that does this concept,” Zheng said.
Food prices across the U.S. has raised in recent months. NPR reported a 3% increase in food prices over the past 12 months. Despite this, Zheng is focused on affordability in his new restaurant.
“When I was in middle school and high school if they had this kind of concept, I’d be so happy,” Zheng said. “I’d make everything that I wanted so much more easy to get, so much more affordable.”
The restaurant offers lunch all-you-can-eat for under $18 and dinner for under $26. It’s something that restaurant goer Gaby Gonzalez appreciates.
“It’s good to have other choices that are an affordable price other than fast food restaurants,” Gonzalez said.
Akina’s success is part of a broader trend in Syracuse. The area’s employment numbers in leisure and hospitality and bounced back to pre-COVID-19 levels, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, and Zheng is reaping the benefits.
“I was not expecting the first month or even the first few weeks to have this many people coming.”