Aki’s has new digs, same great sushi

After many delays, Aki’s owner and head chef Kau Moua has moved into his new spot at 523 W. First Ave., across the street from the Blue Spark.

“Part of the reason was the layout of the place,” he said. “It’s really narrow. We were trying to maximize it, but we had some issues with the city planner. Construction, it takes on a life of its own.”

Aki’s Grill and Sushi Express reopened on Aug. 4, with a new name, a new emphasis and a flashy new look as Aki’s Sushi Bar and Grill.

“It’s a totally different operation now,” Moua said. “It’s like anything else, you know, we went from 500 square feet to 1400 square feet. We went from a family-run place with a few brothers and nephews helping out to a full-blown business with a staff of six to eight people. It’s a whole different ballgame.”

Moua’s been more than a little worried that his regular customers wouldn’t like the changes.

“Spokane’s kind of savvy toward certain things. They like to have certain things one way, and if you change too much, people feel that you kind of sold out or whatever.”

He’s been sticking to the old menu and even refusing special orders during busy times, but it’s all part of the growth process. Diehard sushi fans need not worry – Moua wants to keep them happy.

In fact, two magic words are at the forefront of his mind: more sushi.

Once Moua gets settled and gets his sushi slingers and servers up to speed, the menu’s getting an overhaul.

He’ll expand the choices to be more like at a traditional sushi bar, including special rolls and offerings currently unavailable for those who don’t know how to order them.

But for now, for something other than the traditional crunchy and spicy tuna rolls, try ordering a “Ginza roll” (crab inside, tuna, salmon and roe outside) or “caterpillar roll” (eel inside, avocado outside).

That might tide you over until the new menu raises the bar.

Aki’s phone number is still the same, (509) 747-4266.

New chef presiding over Palm Court

The Palm Court’s new executive chef, Matthew Young, believes hand-selecting locally grown grains and produce isn’t enough.

He wants to head out to Shepherd’s Grain, his local wheat farm of choice (run by farmer Fred Fleming), and drive the combine.

And Davenport Hotel Communications Director Tom McArthur said the hotel’s happy with Young’s enthusiasm.

“He’s a little more hands-on than most chefs we’re used to,” he said.

Young, a Portland native, says he’s been cooking since childhood. He’s worked throughout the West Coast, including in Beverly Hills, Calif.

“He was the chef of choice in one of the Wolfgang Puck restaurants,” McArthur said, “and every time they had celebrities coming in and everything had to be perfect, he was the one they would bring in.”

Young says he had fun cooking for celebrities, but it grew old fast.

“L.A. wasn’t for me. I mean, I grew up in Portland, which is a lot smaller than L.A.,” he said. Luckily for Spokane, he finds this burg’s size more to his liking.

Since joining the Palm Court kitchen about four months ago, Young has been perfecting the menus. “We’ve gotten the breakfast, lunch and dinner menus worked over and now we’re working on the Peacock Room menu and the banquet menus,” he said. “We’re updating everything and trying to give it new flair.”

“Usually, when you change a menu, you expect to hear a bunch of questions about where things have gone, but it’s been really positive,” he said.

The new dinner menu, which debuted Aug. 19, features appetizers ($3-$13) such as the Beer Braised Prawn Martini and Mushroom Strudel, and entrees ($16-$33) such as seared rare Yellow Fin Tuna, Mushroom Ravioli and the decades-old Davenport favorite, Dungeness Crab Cakes.

Reservations can be made at (509) 789-6848.