Saigon Alley Kitchen & Bar has been a hit in midtown Sacramento’s Handle District. Now its owner has plans for a more ambitious neighboring concept.

Owner Mymy Nguyen plans to launch an all-omakase Japanese restaurant at 1801 L St., Suite 70, next to her modern Vietnamese spot. Called Okesutora, the sushi concept will open this summer, according to a news release distributed Wednesday morning.

Leading Okesutora’s kitchen will be Hieu Phan, the former sushi chef at glitzy Japanese hotspot Nobu in Las Vegas and Palo Alto. He’ll fly in fresh fish from Japan twice weekly for the reservation-only, 1,524-square foot midtown restaurant.

“We love that Okesutora will add another element to Sacramento’s ever burgeoning restaurant scene. We can’t wait until you experience the meticulously presented meal,” Nguyen wrote in the release.

Omakase translates to “I leave it up to you,” a chef-driven, typically pricey option growing more popular in Sacramento. Okesutora will compete with another yet-to-open restaurant expected to debut downtown later this year, Tenko, to become the city’s first omakase-only concept.

Davis’ Hikari Sushi & Omakase started exclusively serving omakase earlier this year, and Sacramento Japanese restaurants such as Kru or Takumi Izakaya Bar offer the “chef’s choice” model as an option.

Nguyen opened Saigon Alley in January 2020 at 1801 L St., Suite 50, where it established a reputation as a fun happy hour spot with interesting Vietnamese dishes and a pandemic-friendly patio. Nguyen then opened sister restaurant Sit Lo Saigon in Elk Grove and Davis, and plans to open another Saigon Alley in Natomas.

Okesutora will replace Delilah’s Market Cafe, which closed on Feb. 10 after six months in midtown. Originally launched in Davis, Delilah’s whipped up poke bowls and sushi burritos.

Background: Okesutora, an omakase-only sushi restaurant from Saigon Alley’s founder and a former Nobu chef, will replace poke joint Delilah’s Market Cafe in midtown Sacramento’s Handle District.

What to look for: Whatever chef Hieu Phan gives you. Phan will fly in fresh fish from Japan twice weekly, and serve curated multi-course dinners to each customer.

Where: 1801 L St., Suite 70, Sacramento.

Hours: 5-9 p.m. during the week and 5-11 p.m. on weekends when it opens this summer, though it may be closed some nights.

This story was originally published February 22, 2023 at 1:20 PM.