By Michael Coughlin Jr.
Local restaurateur Raffaele Scalzi outlined his plans to open Koro Ramen + Sushi at 329 Sumner Street during the Jeffries Point Neighborhood Association’s (JPNA) monthly meeting last week.
“Our main focus: ramen and sushi with a primary emphasis on takeout,” said Scalzi. “We have a great culinary team working to put out a great menu.”
Scalzi predicts the establishment will open around or before April 15th. It will have 16 indoor dining seats and be open from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Monday through Sunday.
“We’re going for a really comfortable, minimal Japanese bamboo design. I think the community is really going to like it,” said Scalzi.
It should also be noted that this establishment does not have a liquor license and that the presentation before the JPNA was for informational purposes rather than a vote. Moreover, Scalzi, who owns Pazza on Porter and Next Door Speakeasy and Raw Bar, emphasized he was open to any opportunities to engage with the community.
“We’ll ensure that Koro, when we do open, aligns with the community’s needs with whatever that may be,” he said.
Following the brief presentation, Scalzi took questions from those in attendance. One resident said they had heard that the establishment would have a BYOB license and asked if that would be the case.
Scalzi acknowledged the potential for that but added, “What we want to do first is just focus on just opening and getting the takeout right.”
He expanded on this, explaining that while there is an opportunity to have a BYOB license since the restaurant would have less than 30 seats, there is a chance they do not open with the license since it is not something they would be selling themselves.
The resident also suggested that if the establishment were to get a BYOB license, it would be a good idea to work with the liquor store across the street.
JPNA’s Co-Chair, Margaret Farmer, asked if Scalzi had discussions with the Quiet Few located at 331 Sumner Street regarding the potential expansion of outdoor seating.
Scalzi indicated a discussion about outdoor seating had not occurred and initially said he was not interested, mentioning he wanted to get through spring and summer first.
He later indicated that there were no plans for outdoor seating at this time. Still, he said, “If the opportunity arises in the future where we’d like to have some outdoor seating, I think that’s something we’ll absolutely entertain.”
Scalzi also addressed congestion in the area, indicating that it should be quick for people who come in to pick up food.
“Ramen and sushi are traditionally fast dishes to make, so hopefully that mitigates some of the congestion that’s already down there,” he said.
The discussion eventually ended after more conversation about parking and congestion in the area and plans to hire locally. For more information about the JPNA, visit its website at https://jeffriespoint.org/.