By Clyde Noel

Photo by Monique Schoenfeld, Town Crier

Town Crier Correspondent

The moment you walk into Sumo Japanese Restaurant on State Street, you know you’re in for a treat.

Owner John Chen and Manager Katie Phong cater to the new millennium Japanese cuisine. Everything in Sumo is new. The interior is decorated with new furniture and paper lanterns hang everywhere for atmosphere.

In the middle of the restaurant is a sushi boat bar. There are plenty of tables with comfortable chairs, but if you sit at the sushi bar, you can watch the chefs in action.

Presiding at the bar are Ho San and his assistant, Duc San. Chen said he hired them because they are the best sushi chefs in the valley, he said.

Chen’s father was a chef for 40 years in Taiwan and Japan.

“He taught me how to run a sushi bar and how to cook,” Chen said. “I enjoyed living in Japan. I like the Japanese cuisine and wanted to explore it here in the States.”

Chen said his family was friendly with the previous China Valley owners and when they retired, the restaurant became available.

“I always liked Los Altos and when I knew the place was available, I wanted to start a restaurant and carry on the family business, but use some of my own ideas,” he said.

Chen said his mission is to provide a clean and healthy environment.

“Including full time and part-time, we have 15 people working in the restaurant,” Chen said. “We need that many people because in the United States, everything is service.”

Plates of sushi a la carte start with the California roll (crab and avocado), Ebi (cooked shrimp), Ika (squid), Saba Maki (mackerel roll) or Tekka Maki (tuna roll).

“The most important thing about a Japanese restaurant is fresh fish,” Chen said.

Among the types of juicy fish available at Sumo are tuna, crab stick, fluke, sea trout, mackerel, eel, squid, yellowtail and salmon. Each morning Chen makes a trip to the San Mateo fish market and brings back fresh fish for the day’s menu.

For the entrees, tempuras, teriyakis, sukiyakis and side orders are available in various combinations.

Sushi standards and exotic specials are at their pristine best in Sumo. You can also order standard Japanese fare, but it’s the sushi that shines.

Lunch is available from $5.95 to $6.95 and dinners are under $10. Japanese beers, saki and wine drinks are extra, but every meal is served with tea.

A small tatami room will soon be available in addition to the open tables. The room will provide the traditional Japanese customs and be available for commercial bookings.

“We have been open (two weeks) and business has been good. Los Altos people are easy to please and really polite,” Chen said.

Sumo is open seven days a week; from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday and Sunday, and 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday. Takeout food is available.

Sumo Japanese Restaurant is located at 355 State St., in Los Altos. For more information, call 941-9898.