Sarasota restaurateurs open new sushi location after years of delays

There are delays for restaurant openings and then there's the story behind Tsunami Sushi & Hibachi Grill. The opening of a Tsunami in Lakewood Ranch, to complement a downtown Sarasota location, was delayed more than three years. That came not only from the expected — COVID-19, two hurricanes — but the unexpected, namely an alligator attack.

The wait was so long — a “Coming Soon” sign was initially hung in the window in 2020 — that some would-be customers tried to beat the opening date: co-owner Jeffrey Karasawa says the doorknobs were broken off three times from people yanking on them.