Hold the pickles. Hold the lettuce. You can’t have it your way, right away anymore, but you can treat yourself to Japanese cuisine instead.
Isla Vista residents hoping to pick up a Whopper from the Burger King at the corner of Embarcadero del Mar and Pardall Road after Dec. 12 found a dark building, locked doors, and a sign reading, “The restaurant is permanently closed… We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.” During the winter break, however, the deed to the property transferred to Sushi Teri proprietors Laxman Perera and Keiko Miyata. Perera said he plans to open a new branch of the locally based sushi restaurant sometime within the next two weeks.
“It could be next week or the week after, depending on how work goes,” he said.
Perera also said he hopes the restaurant’s location in the center of I.V. will contribute to its success.
“It’s a great location,” he said. “And there’s nothing better than local customers.”
A Santa Barbara resident himself, Perera said most of Sushi Teri’s business traditionally comes from residents of Santa Barbara, not tourists. Perera opened the first Sushi Teri on Bath Street in downtown Santa Barbara in 1997; the new I.V. location will be the fifth. He also said Sushi Teri’s menu would be within students’ price range.
“It’s affordable. The prices are geared toward students. There’s nothing over $10,” he said.
Junior law and society major Taryn Phillips said she agreed the restaurant’s arrival will positively contribute to I.V.’s atmosphere.
“I don’t eat red meat, so I think this is a great thing. We don’t have many places like Sushi Teri in the area, so it will be a lot better than having to drive to get it,” Phillips said. “And fast food isn’t too good for you, anyway, so everyone will be better off.”
Perera said Sushi Teri’s cooking style will depart from that of Burger King’s fare.
“It’s not fast food,” he said. “It’s real food, made from scratch every day.”
A representative from Burger King could not be reached for comment regarding the I.V. restaurant’s closure.
