Portland’s favorite conveyor belt sushi chef is back with new bento spot, Kashiwagi
Updated Feb 08, 2021;
Takeo Kashiwagi couldn’t have been too surprised when he learned Sushi Takahashi 2, his tiny Southwest Portland sushi restaurant, would have to close. Landlord Terwilliger Plaza, the not-for-profit retirement community across the street, had been quietly purchasing nearby houses since at least 2015, looking to expand with a new 10-story tower.
But it still stung when the closure notice came down in 2019, not least for Sushi Takahashi 2′s loyal customers. In the months after shutting his 19-seat sushi counter for good, Kashiwagi wanted to reopen in a new location. But everywhere he looked, the rent was too high to support his brand of affordable raw fish.