REMERTON — Local Japanese cuisine fans are bringing smiles to the faces of management at the area’s newest Japanese restaurant.

Since opening Sept. 20 at the former Harvey’s building at the corner of West Gordon Street, the Masato Japanese Steak and Seafood Restaurant has enjoyed a growing local base of customers who find their food tasty and their prices affordable, said manager Kanna Dooley.

The Masato franchise is the seventh opened in Georgia, said Dooley, who has an American-born father, a Japanese mother and an Air Force-enlisted husband stationed at Moody. Dooley was raised in Japan when her father was stationed there in the military.

Born in Albany, she moved back to her home state after marrying her husband, whom she met while he was stationed in Japan.

The local franchise was opened by Shin Khuu, who is of Vietnamese descent. Khuu developed his cooking skills while working as a cook and manager for 12 years at a Masato’s in Savannah, Dooley said.

Dooley said she had no idea she’d wind up as manager.

“When I started working here, we were so busy because everyone wanted to try the new restaurant. They needed me working every day,” Dooley said.

“In Japan, there’s no such thing as refills. And I had never been a waitress, so this was all new to me. But in Japan, customer service is very important. So I picked it up very fast.”

Khuu was busy working hard in the kitchen to keep up, so he had little time to tend to managerial duties out on the floor where customers were brimming for a chance to try the area’s newest Japanese menu, Dooley said.

“I was already helping to organize the service area so they just decided I could handle being the manager,” she said. “It really helped Shin out to have me helping to keep things moving.”

Business has slowed slightly from those heady days after the opening, but there’s still a very steady lunch crowd and Friday and Saturday nights are still popular for customers who might be heading for the mall or the movie theaters, Dooley said.

“In Japan, a cook is called a tepanyaki. Shin is a tepanyaki. He’s very good,” Dooley said.



Q: Is this a standard sort of Japanese restaurant where the tepanyaki cooks at a grill at your table?



A: No. The food is cooked in the kitchen, but is the exact same type of menu items you will find at most Japanese restaurants. We’re able to keep our prices cheaper because we’re not cooking at the tables. Our customers have really enjoyed the lower prices. For instance, at lunch, you can get a “VSU Lunch Bowl” of chicken teriyaki, vegetables and fried rice, with a salad and drink included, for $5.50. The same bowl with steak is $6.50 and steak is $7.50. Dinner prices are a little higher, but are still very affordable, especially when ordering combination dinners. The cheapest combination is Yakiniku steak and shrimp for $10.95. The most expensive combination is lobster and shrimp or scallops for $17.99.





Q: What are the restaurant’s plans for 2008?



A: Shin is going to open a Sushi bar. I hear he is really good at sushi. It will be available sometime in 2008.



Q: Do you take reservations?



A: Yes. We take reservations for Friday and Saturday nights. If you’re coming between 6:30-9:30 p.m., and especially if you’re bringing a party of six or more, please call in advance to reserve a table.



Q: Do you have a take-out service?



A: Yes. Take out is getting big now. We open at 11 a.m., but the phones start ringing at 10:30 a.m. from customers trying to call in take-out orders. It’s very popular. For carry out, call 229-242-4667.



Masato Japanese Steak and Seafood Restaurant

Address: 1337 Baytree Road

Owner: Shin Khuu

Phone: 229-242-4693; carry out is 229-242-4667

Hours: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday through Friday; 5-9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 5-10 p.m. on Friday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday; 12-9:30 p.m. on Sunday.