By Florian Martin – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Nov 8, 2024
A Japan-based conveyor-belt edomae sushi concept is opening next week in NewQuest’s redeveloped West on West retail center in west Houston.
Sushi Ginza Onodera will open on Nov. 16 at 12270 Westheimer Road, the company said.
Houston is the third U.S. city for Ginza Onodera after Los Angeles and Honolulu and the second kaiten sushi — or conveyor-belt sushi — restaurant for the company in the United States. Overall, it is the 21st restaurant for Ginza Onodera, which also has locations in Japan and China. Several have won Michelin stars.
Patrons order their food on a tablet, and the chefs will send the orders to the table on a conveyor belt. Unlike at revolving sushi bars, such as Kura, there won’t be an endless supply of plates on the belt; meals will only be made per order and sent directly to the guest who ordered it.
The 3,976-square-foot restaurant will have 35 employees, Ginza Onodera COO Shun Takahashi said in an email.
Ginza Onodera launched the conveyor-belt concept in 2021 to be able to offer its high-end sushi at more affordable prices, said Heather Nguyen, development manager at Houston-based NewQuest Properties. She is part of the company’s Asia-Pacific Retail division, which was launched in 2020 to recruit Asian businesses to NewQuest developments, such as West on West or Katy Grand.
Her team approached Ginza Onodera in Tokyo in 2021 after seeing how successful its kaiten sushi restaurant was and signed the lease at the retail center in Houston in the first quarter of last year, Nguyen said.
“We were looking for concepts that are great in Asia, where people would travel to and want to go try, but bring them to the U.S. so that people can have that experience here in Houston without traveling all the distance,” she said.
Ginza Onodera is partnering with NewQuest to expand in the United States, Takahashi said.
He said the company was attracted to Texas and especially Houston because the area has recently seen a growing interest in Japanese cuisine, and Ginza Onodera sees it as an ideal location for the company’s global expansion.
“Houston is one of the leading cities in the U.S. for the number of Japanese restaurants, and Japanese cuisine such as sushi and ramen is now widely appreciated, even becoming a staple for many,” he said. “By introducing the blend of tradition and innovation that Ginza Onodera embodies into Houston’s dynamic food culture, we aim to create new culinary trends.”
He said he likes West on West for its proximity to upscale residential neighborhoods and for its trendy Asian businesses.
NewQuest redeveloped the 90,000-square-foot West on West, or WoW, from the old Pavilion Center, which was mostly vacant. As part of the $12 million redevelopment, NewQuest replaced the walls, demolished part of the center and built new space.
The developer demolished one building, which previously housed a Chinese buffet restaurant, and built a 6,769-square-foot building shared by Ginza Onodera and Lady M in its place.
The new retail center opened last December with the 33,029-square-foot anchor, 99 Ranch Market, and was named a retail finalist in the Houston Business Journal's 2024 Landmark Awards.
West on West is now 100% leased, Nguyen said.
The other tenants are Tokyo-based restaurant Tsujita Artisan Noodle, South Korea-based bakery café Paris Baguette, Taiwanese bubble tea concept The Alley, Los Angeles-based Korean dessert place SomiSomi, New York City-based luxury confections boutique Lady M, California-based Gen Korean BBQ House, Japanese retailer Teso Life, Japanese crepes café T-Swirl Crepe, Thai restaurant Osha Thai and Chinese hotpot restaurant Shoo Loong Kan.
Two additional concepts will be announced soon, Nguyen said.
“We want to get people to know that it's there and the offerings that we have here are amazing,” she said. “And they don't have to go very far.”
First report here...
View WoW tenants here...