Newbury Japanese restaurant Sushizen on Bartholomew Street celebrates first birthday

An independent restaurant in Newbury town centre is celebrating its one-year anniversary by promoting its wide-ranging menu.

Japanese eatery Sushizen, located at 16 Bartholomew Street, opened its doors to customers on November 17, 2022.

Over the past year it has been serving Newburians top-class Japanese food made by its chef and owner, Mo Hansubhayyan.

Mr Hansubhayyan – better known as Mr Mo 0150 – is an experienced sushi connoisseur who honed his skills making and serving sushi and teppanyaki while working in restaurants in Dubai, London, Winchester and Scotland.

He has been working as a chef since 1997, and came to Newbury last year in the hope of opening the only Japanese restaurant in the area with a teppanyaki grill open for his customers to see.

Mr Mo is planning on opening a chef’s table-type teppanyaki grill experience next year, which will allow diners to watch him prepare their hot meals from scratch right in front of their eyes.

And now he is keen to promote his restaurant’s extensive menu a year on from opening.

Despite its name, Sushizen doesn’t just serve sushi. There are nearly 50 hot items on its menu, meaning customers can enjoy Japanese staples such as dumpling-style gyozas, donburi rice dishes and ramen noodle soup.

Mr Mo is particularly keen to let the people of Newbury know about his teppnayaki offerings, which are dishes of hot meat and fish served with vegetables and rice.

Mr Mo also revealed that he is considering changing the name of his Bartholomew Street restaurant to better reflect the variety of its menu.

Sushizen is open for Christmas party bookings of up to 24 people and it can be contacted on (01635) 242885.

It is open from noon to 2.30pm and 5pm to 9.30pm on Tuesdays to Thursdays, noon to 9.30pm on Fridays and Saturdays, noon to 9pm on Sundays and the restaurant is closed on Mondays.