Two sushi restaurants are planned for separate locations in Potomac next year.
Kema by Kenaki, an offshoot of Kenaki Sushi Counter in Gaithersburg’s Kentlands neighborhood, will open in the first quarter of 2022 in the Cabin John Village shopping mall, co-founder Aki Ballogdajan confirmed in an email to Bethesda Beat on Monday.
Aki and his brother Ken Ballogdajan opened Kenaki Sushi Counter in 2018 after working in their grandparents and parents’ restaurants in Washington, D.C., and Frederick respectively, according to the website.
In 2020 they expanded their operation to The Roost food hall in D.C. with a concept called Ako by Kenaki.
Kenaki’s Gaithersburg restaurant includes a variety of sushi rolls on its menu, in addition to sashimi, bao buns and rice bowls.
Store Reporter reported on the expansion of the Kenaki brand last week.
The Park Potomac shopping area will gain a sushi restaurant by next year. Yirasai Sushi on Ridgefield Road in Bethesda will be moving to Park Potomac, server Yun Kim told Bethesda Beat on Monday.
Kim was not sure of the timing of the move, but thought it would be by the end of this year.
Yirasai Sushi, in addition to sushi, also serves tempura, rice bowls and teriyaki dishes.
The Moco Show reported on Yirasai Sushi’s planned move last week.
Dan Schere can be reached at daniel.schere@bethesdda-remix.newspackstaging.com