By Corinne LestchThe Daily Northwestern
Located in a small commercial strip, the Asian and Japanese restaurant Nine Fish opened at 2426 Main St. a few weeks ago with little fanfare. But owner Yan Ruan said word of mouth is helping bring in customers.
“(The customers) always like coming here and trying the food,” Ruan said. “If they are fans they send their friends.”
A native of China, Ruan has lived in the United States for about 11 years. She has a manager and staff to help interact with the customers because of her limited English skills.
“I’m still learning about (owning a restaurant) and learning English, and that’s why I need my husband to help me,” Ruan said.
Her husband, Danny Chen, who has lived in the U.S. for about 15 years, manages the kitchen and brings previous customer service experience.
“I always ask the customers what they liked and what they didn’t like, and because of this we have so many people coming back as regular customers,” Chen said. “Whatever they don’t like, we will change.”
At the end of each meal, the staff gives customers comment cards, and Chen said he takes customers’ suggestions very seriously when re-evaluating the menu.
“When a customer suggested that we put (in) a sushi bar, we did,” Chen said. “I want people to enjoy the food. That is why I work.”
With its high ceilings and sleek black rectangular tables, Ruan and Chen said the decor is just as important to them as the food. An oversized goblet containing small goldfish rests on the top of the sushi bar as a chef prepares spicy tuna maki with white truffle oil. Above, several rectangular mirrors are arranged artistically to give the illusion of one larger mirror split into several pieces. Chen said the best comment he received said the restaurant “looks like an artist’s painting.”
The use of non-spicy sauces sets Nine Fish apart from many other Asian and Japanese restaurants, he said.
“A lot of other restaurants use spicy sauces to make the food quality better, but we guarantee that the fish you order is always fresh and does not need anything extra,” Chen said.
Ruan said the amber jack steak with sour cream parsley lime sauce and the yellowtail steak with ginger and scallion sauce are consistent favorites among customers, but Evanston resident Laura Dundas-Gully said her personal favorite is the green apple with salmon maki.
“The presentation is excellent,” Dundas-Gully said. “I’ve only eaten at the sushi bar, but there is obviously a lot of originality in all of their dishes.
“The way the restaurant is set up is nice, and it’s a very comfortable environment in which to eat,” Dundas-Gully said.
Reach Corinne Lestch at [email protected].
