April opening for Sakura

Diners will have to wait another month to sample the tantalizing tastes of Sakura steak, seafood and sushi house. The 7,800-square-foot Town Center restaurant is now planned to open in mid-April.

Although originally set to open this month, Sakura — which takes up what appears from the outside street-facing side of the structure to be three Town Center buildings — recently put up its outside signage and is undergoing a major met amorphous inside, as crews from Virginia create the African hand-rubbed mahogany, slate and split-face travertine interior that’s a hallmark of Sakura’s 19 East Coast locations.

Spending the extra time and money to make the restaurant exactly as planned is important, said co-owner Charles Wee, of La Cañada.

“We want to make sure this is a really good restaurant. We understand that right now, times are tough, so people may be worried with our restaurant being so fancy, but our price point is very reasonable, and the food portions and the service will be the best,” he said, adding, “Only the best for La Cañada.”

In designing their La Cañada restaurant, Wee and Sakura founder Marc Ha plan to take advantage of the tall ceiling-ed entryway of the new Town Center Sakura, which, Wee said, is reminiscent of a Japanese umbrella.

“Picture a lady in a kimono with an umbrella, in front of a cherry blossom, now, that’s Japan,” Wee said.

The restaurant will feature several Japanese specialties, in three separate areas, to include a sushi bar, Shabu-shabu — a Japanese fondue hot pot of fresh meats and vegetables — and the showy Teppanyaki cooking made popular by Benihana restaurants.

There will be 16 Teppanyaki tables, with seating for 10 at each table, Wee said.

With a background of saws and drills whirring, Wee and Ha looked over their work-in-progress restaurant last Friday morning. “It looks good, it’s almost done,” Ha said.

Ha, who lives in McLean, Va., with his wife and three children, spends about half his time in La Cañada, and hopes to spend more time here once the restaurant is completed.

Ha and Wee have been friends since their childhoods, having both immigrated to the United States from Seoul, Korea. The two also founded and are on the board of International Care Community, a non-profit group, which has opened orphanages and other child-related programs in China and Mexico.

A portion of the proceeds from the soon-to-be 20 Sakura restaurants goes to fund those activities in disadvantaged countries.

“We get so many blessings, we want to give back,” Wee said, adding that he’s looking forward to helping out in this community as well, possibly by sponsoring a Little League team.

“We want to serve the community with good food and in any other way we can,” Wee said.