Owner of Fair Oaks’ Shangri-La seeks to sell the business — with conditions

On Dec. 6, Shangri-La’s proprietor Sommer Peterson posted on social media that she planned to step away from the business and seek new ownership.

The outpouring of support was swift, with the post garnering thousands of likes and shares. More than 120 comments were posted by fans and fellow Fair Oaks and other Sacramento-area businesses.

Peterson launched the business at 7960 Winding Way in 2018, using a Small Business Administration loan to convert a vacant mortuary and parking lot into, what she calls, “a modern oasis with mid-century modern design, great cocktails, and a sense of escape.”

Peterson survived the COVID-19 lockdown, but incurred further debt to stay afloat. Now, she said, under current economic conditions, Shangri-La is facing new headwinds.

“The people that love us can just afford us a little bit less and less day by day,” Peterson said. “It has become apparent that to those people it’s turned more into a special occasion destination because of the price point.”

The high prices, Peterson said, are tethered to her commitment to quality.

“We’re still punching our potatoes to make the French fries and breaking down our whole chicken for our fried chicken, and cutting our whole salmon up to make the fillets,” she said.

“We’re not getting those things already pre-made.”

She knows there are things that could improve the standing of the business, like expanding hours, but Peterson said she lacks the bandwidth to do it on her own.

“I have an 11-year-old who really needs her mom. We’ve been at this since she was 4, and it’s become quite clear that I cannot be working every night grinding like this forever,” she said.

However, Peterson is not willing to sell off the business to just anyone. She wants someone who will continue its mission and culture.

“I’m going to be real choosy about who we bring in. I’ve already had to say no to a couple of people just for the right culture fit, because we live here, and we really care about the community and the place itself,” she said. “I’ve really made a commitment to a lot of our regulars and neighborhood people that it doesn’t have to stay Shangri-La, but it must have the vibe of a very open and loving community space.”

Peterson is eager to move on from the business, but not desperate. The restaurant will remain open during the hunt for new leadership, but it will have some changes.

She intends to make the service more casual, with customers ordering at a counter instead of table service. She’s also simplifying dishes, offering more a la carte items like sandwiches and burgers.

The famous cocktails, however, aren’t going anywhere.

“Whoever wants to buy us, it still has to be a safe space for the community, and we need to have boozy slushies in the summertime.”

What I’m Eating

Like most people, I tend to stick to familiar spots close to home when dining out. One of the closest places to me is the South Land Park location of Sushi Q. It’s so close, I can walk there.

My favorite appetizer there is the Tuna Blossom ($23). It doesn’t look like much, but it has surprises.

Under the tangle of shaved cabbage, micro cilantro, fried shallot, serrano peppers and tobiko (flying fish roe) lie shingles of red tuna swimming in a garlic ponzu sauce. The trick is to fold each slice of fish around the toppings, making a little taco.

It requires a certain amount of dexterity, but it’s worth it when you get a mouthful of soft tuna wrapped around the crunchy, spicy accoutrements.

When Sushi Q opened this location in November 2020 as a sister restaurant to its original Elk Grove spot, I figured it would be the sort of place we might occasionally order a roll for lunch. I didn’t take it too seriously.

One day, I ordered up a bunch of nigiri just to give it a go. This was still very much during lockdown, so it was takeout only.

Among the things I ordered was the ama ebi ($11), sweet shrimp, one of my favorite nigiri. I brought the order home, and unpacked the containers. One of them contained the shrimp nigiri; another had the fried heads.

That’s when I knew they were a serious sushi restaurant, and why I continue to return.

Sushi Q

Address: 1339 Florin Rd., Suite B101, South Land Park

Hours: 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday; 4 p.m.-9 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays

Phone: 916-942-9225 or 916-582-5600

Website: sushiq916.com

Vegetarian options: The menu is predictably seafood-forward, but vegetarian appetizers include edamame, agedashi tofu and veggie tempura. Veggie maki includes cucumber and avocado, and oshinko (pickled daikon) can be made on request.

Noise level: Moderate

Openings & Closings

• Pasquale’s Italian Pizzeria, a Carmichael institution serving the Sacramento region since 1975, announced it will close permanently on Dec. 31 after 50 years in business. The general manager said the decision was driven by rising costs and a decline in customers dining out. The pizzeria was originally family-owned for five generations before being sold in 2018.
• Rancho Cordova’s Claimstake Brewing announced on social media that, once it depletes the beers it currently has on tap, it will cease taproom operations. Claimstake will continue to produce beer for distribution, and its operators hinted that they may still do occasional events such as dock sales, concerts and parties.
• Pirate-themed Black Sails Coffee Roasters will end its pop-up operation in the Marketplace at Birdcage in Citrus Heights as of 4 p.m. Sunday. The roaster, which launched in 2018, opened at the Marketplace in April. In a social media post, the owners alluded that they would reopen at an as-yet undisclosed location and date.