Kashiwa Opens On Mamaroneck Avenue

The brown paper covering the large windows at have finally come down after months of construction and passersby on Mamaroneck Avenue slow down their gait to gawk at the decor

Managers Sherry and Ken Chen hosted a party for friends and family on Friday evening, soft-opened the place on Saturday and announced a grand opening celebration on Monday where they offered discounts to anyone who stopped by the location on 330 Mamaroneck Ave.

The couple, who have lived in Mamaroneck for the last 10 years, is exhilarated to open their first venture together. The Chens call their food “modern Asian cuisine,” and the restaurant represents the fourth Asian fusion establishment on the avenue.

“I’m not worried because we have our own style,” said Sherry. “We have some Thai food, Vietnamese, Japanese and Chinese. We have more styles than they do.” She also touts that she has a “different chef for each different style.”

The Chens have limited experience in the restaurant business, said Sherry, who has worked in retail as a waitress. She is friends with the owner, Miago, who hails from the city of Kashiwa in Japan and owns restaurants in Manhattan and Queens.

Sherry will oversee the front of the house, while Ken will supervise the kitchen. The most apparent design element—besides the glowing light above the bar that changes colors every couple of minutes or so—is a wall consisting of wood beams cut into small pieces and covered with Chinese letters, which represent Chinese surnames, said Sherry.

A strong odor of wood, which evokes a forest, mingles with the smell of the food. It took about three months to convert the former convenience store and small Chinese restaurant into a hip Asian bistro.

“There were a lot of things to do,” said Sherry. “We needed to install a new sprinkler system, new plumbing and the kitchen.”

Kashiwa shares more than a red-backlit sign with some of its neighbors, including several dishes like Yellowtail Jalapeno and Pad Thai.

“We have a different style, a different taste and different sauce,” said Sherry. “I really wanted to have a restaurant. Now, my friend she said she’d do it, so I know this location and we work well together.”