Chef Mitsuhisa Nishio, or “Michu” to his family members and friends and Chef Ninja to many of his followers across social media, is opening Zuma By Chef Ninja in the space that was previously home to Brickside at 4866 Cordell Ave in Bethesda. An October 6th opening has been announced by the restaurant.
Michu/“Chef Ninja” is the son of first generation of Japanese immigrants who moved to the Dominican Republic. He has been interested in cooking since a young age– learning about Japanese cuisine from his parents by helping his mother in the kitchen as a child. His cooking is “based on the fusion of Caribbean cuisine and traditional Japanese food.” Zuma By Chef Ninja is described as Japanese/Latin fusion.
The operating hours of the restaurant have been reported to be 5:00 PM to 1:00 AM Monday through Thursday, 1:00 PM to 3:00 AM Fridays and Saturdays, and 1:00 PM to 1:00 AM on Sundays, according to Robert Dyer, who was first to report the restaurant’s impending arrival when it initially signed on. Chef Ninja also owns Sushi Mambo NYC, and the menu offerings at that restaurant can be seen here.