sansei opening

Sansei Seafood and Sushi coming to Queens’ MarketPlace

BY BOBBY COMMAND

WEST HAWAII TODAY

bcommand@westhawaiitoday.com

It’s a lot different from engineering, but D.K. Kodama seems to love every minute of being a chef.

The Honolulu native who “got the restaurant bug” while attending school on the U.S. mainland eventually ended up at Kapalua, Maui, where he opened Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar. A total of three restaurants later, Kodama plans a fifth, to open at the Queens’ MarketPlace, now being built at Waikoloa Beach Resort.

“We’ve been wanting to open a restaurant on the Big Island and Waikoloa is the perfect fit for the dining experience we have to offer,” said Kodama. “We were especially impressed by how popular Waikoloa is with local residents as that has always been our No. 1 client base. That was a big reason for us to open here.”

Construction of the 135,000-square-foot Queens’ MarketPlace and adjoining Waikoloa Cultural Gardens is currently underway and targeted for completion next summer.

Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar will occupy 6,200 square feet and be located in the building closest to the Cultural Gardens and resort entrance. Kodama said an architect is already at work designing the interior and he expects the restaurant to be fully operational by fourth quarter 2007.

The wildly popular Japanese-based restaurant with Pacific Rim influences will offer its complete menu of sushi and seafood favorites, including dry-aged steaks, all of which have become a hit with both residents and visitors. Master Sommelier Chuck Furuya, a consultant for Sansei, will provide the wine list and create menu pairings.

“We’re going to offer the best of everything and we think people will love our sushi bar experience,” said Kodama, who also plans to offer catering services.

Kodama said part of his success comes from his staff, which he said seem to stick around. “Some people have been with us for a long time,” said Kodama. “We try to take care of them and they’ve taken care of us. We don’t make any hard rules to follow and it has become a family atmosphere.”

The inclusion of Sansei will create a great dining experience, said Thos Rohr, president of Waikoloa Land Co., the master developer for Waikoloa Beach Resort.

“We’re delighted D.K. Kodama chose Waikoloa to open on the Big Island,” said Rohr. “Waikoloa is the gathering place for the Kohala Coast. Queens’ MarketPlace is expanding that position.”

Sansei is one of 12 new tenants that have signed leases recently for Queens’ MarketPlace. Other new tenants include Arby’s, Blue Ginger Family, Charlie’s Thai Cuisine, Claire’s, Hilton Grand Vacations Club, Lids, Pac Sun, Paradise Grill, Persimmon, Quiksilver and Sunglass Hut International.

Tenants that signed leases previously include Coldwell Banker, Giggles, Island Pearls, Islands Fine Burgers and Drinks, Island Gourmet Markets, King and Queen Day Spa, King’s Kitchen, Local Motion, Marble Slab Creamery, Queen’s Deli, Starbucks, The Noodle House, Trinity Financial, The Studio, Waikoloa Realty and Waikoloa Silver.

Altogether, that brings Queens’ MarketPlace to nearly 80 percent occupancy. The open-air Queens’ MarketPlace will also feature a stage for entertainment, a studio theater, public fountains and an abundance of landscaping set amid an architectural design highlighting Hawaii’s monarchy period. It joins the spectacularly successful Kings’ Shops in positioning Waikoloa as the premier shopping and dining experience on the Kohala Coast.

Complementing the resort experience will be the Waikoloa Cultural Gardens and accompanying Performance Garden being built next to Queens’ MarketPlace. The lushly landscaped area will be a tribute to Hawaii’s multi-ethnic people and Big Island crops, and feature an outdoor amphitheater that can entertain up to 4,000 people.

“D.K. Kodama is an established chef here in the islands,” said Debbie Parmley, vice president of commercial real estate at Waikoloa Beach Resort. “It’s going to knock everyone’s socks off.”