PEORIA, AZ — Another restaurant in the East Valley is headed to the West Valley.
Kasai Japanese Steakhouse in Scottsdale, formerly known as Sapporo, has plans to open a second teppanyaki restaurant at the Park West shopping complex in Peoria.
Owner Michael Russello, who opened Soporro 20 years ago before selling the restaurant and then buying it back a few years ago, and rebranding it to Kasai, said construction was expected to start in January with the hopes of opening during the summer or fall of 2022.
Customer requests and general business opportunities led him to open Kasai at Park West, said Russello.
Several other restaurants have opened there in recent years, including Hash Kitchen, Sicilian Butcher, Sicilian Baker, and Jalapeno Inferno. It is also home to BJ's Restaurant, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse, and Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers.
"It was a perfect fit for us," he told ABC15 on Tuesday.
He said the 7,000-square-foot restaurant would be similar to the one in Scottsdale, though a bit smaller. It will have a dining room with a dozen teppanyaki tables, a bar, an outdoor patio, and the restaurant's signature fire out front.
His expansion plans currently are not limited to the West Valley either.
Russello said he intends to open another three or four restaurants within the next three or four years with restaurants in Chandler, Gilbert, and Phoenix as potential locations.
The Maggiore Group expanded to the West Valley with Hash Kitchen, Sicilian Butcher, and Sicilian Baker. Barrio Queen opened locations in Avondale and Glendale. Harumi Sushi & Sake, a staple in downtown Phoenix, is also opening a second location in the West Valley, an area that has long been saturated with chain restaurants.
