HOW SAINE WONG CREATED THE MOST FUN OMAKASE IN AUSTIN

Saine Wong created a PowerPoint in 2021 called “What Am I Doing With My Life?” The now-36-year-old had been through a lot: being one of the youngest executive chefs in Hollywood, traveling around the world, a post office job, creating sushi at a high-end omakase. But there he was in his apartment, trying to figure out what was next.

The second slide read “Untitled Sushi Restaurant.” He described everything his dream business would be: six to eight seats, a secret entrance, a guitar on the wall, a map of his travels, notes on how each place inspired his food, and, most importantly, people sharing experiences. “I have so many stories to tell,” Wong says, and he wanted to hear other people’s stories.

Now, he’s the star of Austin omakase Toshokan.

The L.A born-and-raised chef always loved to entertain, since he was a teenager throwing epic backyard ragers. Post-high school graduation, he studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Miami, moved back, and, by 24, became the executive chef of Belgian restaurant Little Bear.

In 2018, a breakup spurred a life evaluation — “Am I happy doing this?” Wong asked. He decided to quit his job and travel. He bounced around, experiencing everything from hostels in Europe to a fortuitous late-night sojourn in Japan. He passed a “BAR” sign with an arrow pointing into an alley. When he entered, there were no other patrons; just himself and a bartender in his 60s. Wong intended to have one drink, but he stayed for three hours singing Backstreet Boys with the owner.

COVID forced him to return to America, where he would work at Momofuku in Washington, D.C., but his start date got pushed back because of government shutdowns. He needed a job, so he flew back home, where he worked for the post office as the self-described “best-worst mailman” while waiting for a restaurant position.

Finally, Wong got a callback for the Scratch Restaurant Group (now Sushi by Scratch). He didn’t know it was a sushi restaurant until the interview. Fortunately, he previously worked at Gatten Sushi, so it wasn’t a problem — “it’s muscle memory,” he says. He began at Sushi|Bar, training in Montecito, and then Encino.

Meanwhile, California restaurant operations were difficult with COVID health orders. So, Sushi|Bar co-owner Phillip Frankland Lee wanted to expand into a city with lenient pandemic policies. When he asked who wanted to come to the Texas pop-up, Wong volunteered, even though Austin was his last choice.

In Austin, Sushi|Bar became a permanent restaurant. It was there that Wong’s path to Toshokan was fated because of two celebrities. Singer Halsey’s manager was a Sushi|Bar regular and fan of Wong’s. When he heard Wong was in Austin, he recommended the omakase to local restaurateur C.K. Chin (Swift’s Attic, Wu Chow). Chin brought along comedian Dave Chappelle, and, afterwards, invited Wong to hang out. “It’s Interesting when you talk to somebody who has the wherewithal and the gumption to uproot themselves and move to a whole other city on a whim,” Chin says.

Wong left Sushi|Bar in 2021, but decided to stay in Austin. The city made sense for what he wanted to do — open his own restaurant that would provide people the opportunity to recreate his magical night in Japan. “That was one of the best nights because it was so unexpected,” says Wong. Hence, the PowerPoint.

Chin heard about Wong’s departure while he was looking for a restaurant for business-incubator the Native. Their quick catch-up turned into a three-hour chat. Then, Wong prepared a tasting for Chin and the investor; they were blown away.

That began Toshokan, and the pair figured out that its angle was Wong’s travels. “There are chefs twice [Wong’s] age that haven’t gone to as many places as he has,” says Chin. The menu has scallops served with salsa verde that Wong learned how to make from his Machu Picchu climbing guide. The six-hour-braised short rib served with potato pavé is an ode to his Korea and Belgium trips. A hamachi bite plays on spicy margarita cocktails, a drink claims he never had until moving here.

Toshokan opened in 2022, and quickly became a success, racking up awards (including an Eater Award) and local magazine covers. Celebrities like Diplo, Ludacris, and Joe Rogan dined there. The band Ghostland Observatory serenaded guests with an unreleased song using Wong’s guitar. Tickets book up quickly.

“Every dinner is going to be different, because you never know who you’re going to sit next to,” says Wong. He classifies the omakases into three categories: informational, where diners want to learn about the products and techniques; conversational, where people want to talk; and straight-up parties.

“We can’t make people feel scared to do a bone marrow luge,” says Wong. “Yes, we are an upscale, omakase sushi restaurant. But shit, you want a sake bomb — why not? Ultimately, this is your experience.”

“I love being able to do things that another sushi bar would never do,” says Chin. It’s fun because the restaurant is wholly Wong’s personality. He incorporates his other passions, like theme nights centered on his undying love for Taylor Swift or the monthly Sushi With Strangers.

Herein lies the problem. How do you maintain a restaurant centered on one person? “I’ve dug a hole that is pretty big, because I can’t leave. I can’t replace myself,” says Wong. “It’s a great problem to have, but I can’t step away without disappointing people.”

It’s challenging but for now, he’s making it work. Wong is happy with creating connections through Toshokan each night. “I want people to feel like you’re at dinner with friends at my place,” he says. It’s still jarring to him that Toshokan is a hit restaurant and that he’s a sought-out chef. “It’s hard to register in my brain that [diners] see me as this, because I see everybody as friends,” he says. And everybody’s invited to the Toshokan party.

2024-04-16T13:33:41Z dg43tfdfdgfd