Nikki’s Restaurant and Sushi Bar at Racine Commons closed in late May and has been replaced by Yoshi Sushi Bar & Japanese Cuisine.

Yuda Chen, owner of Nikki’s Fresh Gourmet & Sushi at 16 S. Front St., purchased the business in April, according to Yoshi manager Lindsay McCall. While McCall would not disclose the name of the previous owner, she said they had only owned the business for about four months before approaching Chen with an offer to sell.
 
McCall said Chen decided to rename the restaurant to make a clean break from Nikki’s at Racine and let diners know that Yoshi is a new restaurant with a new staff and menu. In Japanese, yoshi is similar to “good luck.”
 
The restaurant has undergone a complete renovation, with all new wood and tile flooring, new sushi bar, fresh paint, new lighting and a new table layout that includes a semi-enclosed enclave that can be reserved for private parties.
 
The menu features a la carte sushi and sashimi and a wide variety of specialty sushi rolls, as well as bento boxes and teriyaki and hibachi entrees. Ramen is also on the menu, as well as poke (fish salad) bowls -- bowls of sushi rice topped with a choice of tuna, salmon or white fish, avocado, seaweed salad, edamame, tomato, kani and Japanese dressing.
 
“The poke bowls are very popular on Japanese menus in New York right now,” McCall said. “So we are very excited to bring them here to Wilmington.”
 
The full bar features a variety of sake-based cocktails as well as several Japanese beers. Yoshi offers a different daily special each day of the week, ranging from buy one get one free sushi rolls to discounted entrees and drink specials. A 10 percent discount is offered to students with a valid ID. The website is still under construction but specials can be found on Yoshi’s Facebook page. 
 
Yoshi Sushi Bar & Japanese Cuisine is located in Suite 8 at 260 Racine Drive and is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 10 p.m. Sunday.  
 
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