North Park Sushi Spot Swims Into the South Bay

The restaurant group that opened Aburi Sushi in North Park this past summer is gearing up to expand into the Otay Ranch area. Due by the end of December, the new Japanese eatery replaces Valentino’s Lounge in Chula Vista, which has gone through a major remodel. Featuring a full bar with house cocktails, the South Bay restaurant will offer a similar menu to the group’s other sushi-focused endeavors, which also include James’ Place in the UCSD area; executive chef/partner James Holder is a native of Japan with over 30 decades of sushi experience.

In addition to a large sushi menu that includes nigiri, sashimi, and specialty rolls, the South Bay restaurant will also serve Japanese teppanyaki — meat, seafood, and vegetables cooked on an iron griddle — and entrees ranging from mirin and soy-braised short ribs with udon noodles to grilled lobster tail with shrimp truffle fried rice.