Landmark Japanese Restaurant Reborn As Iron Chef
Central Valley
Restaurateur David Chen thinks he’s resurrected a local landmark with reverence. What other approach would do when that landmark is the former Gasho of Japan Hibachi Steakhouse, and “gasho” is Japanese for pressing hands into a prayer? As soon as early February, Chen will reopen the restaurant as Iron Chef of Central Valley, after spending nearly $1 million and more than a year painstakingly cleaning, redecorating and refurbishing it, he said in a Wednesday interview. That’s on top of the more than $1.5 million Chen spent to purchase the restaurant from Taku Aoki. The new restaurant will include hibachi, sushi and other Asian fare, with offerings similar to those of Gasho, Chen said. “It’s basically the old menu, but we did add more specials and fancier food,” said Chen, adding that the goal was to make the restaurant “more fancy” overall. “I just want to make the area better and to bring in people, so people can relax and eat and drink. I like making people happy.
