Temakira—the hip sushi hand roll joint that moved into the former location of Avanti Cafe in Costa Mesa several years ago—has now opened a new store at University Center in Irvine. This makes the third location for the concept. Another outpost at The OC Mix location debuted a few months ago.
Here’s what I said about the original in a review I wrote last year:
If Temakira fits into a category, it’s the modern kind of sushi purveyor that eschews stuffiness and tradition for accessibility and convenience. Its closest kin is Fountain Valley’s Samurai Burrito, but it’s classier than that—it’s less Instagram, more Pinterest. If Samurai Burrito’s customers seem as if they just got out of high school, Temakira’s clients look as though they’re working on their graduate degrees.
Also opening soon at University Center is a second restaurant for Adya, Shachi Mehra’s contemporary Indian street food concept.
Temakira is sandwiched between Tender Greens and Nekter Juice. Adya, when it opens, will be located next to Peet’s Coffee in the former location of California Teriyaki.
Before becoming an award-winning restaurant critic for OC Weekly in 2007, Edwin Goei went by the alias “elmomonster” on his blog Monster Munching, in which he once wrote a whole review in haiku.