Sushi Ii, the intimate Japanese restaurant in Newport Beach’s Mariner’s Mile, has entered its next chapter as Sushi Suhama, with a new name that reflects both the restaurant’s Japanese roots and its connection to the coastal landscape it calls home. While the name is new, Sushi Suhama remains an evolution of the restaurant guests have come to know, continuing its commitment to seasonality, craftsmanship, and traditional Japanese culinary technique. The intimate setting and culinary team that have defined the restaurant remain at the heart of Sushi Suhama. Since opening, the restaurant has been recognized by the MICHELIN Guide six times, a distinction Sushi Suhama carries with it into this next chapter.
The name Suhama comes from an ancient Japanese term referring to a beautiful or picturesque shoreline. For the restaurant, Suhama evokes the natural shoreline that defines Newport Beach, creating a connection between Japanese culture and the coastal setting that has been part of the restaurant’s identity since opening. Renowned Japanese artist Hiroshi Sugimoto was commissioned to help shape this next chapter and selected the name Sushi Suhama for the restaurant. One of Sugimoto’s celebrated seascapes will also be displayed within the space, further connecting the restaurant’s new identity to the meeting of sea, landscape, and Japanese artistry.
“Suhama felt meaningful because it gives the restaurant a sense of place. This is still the restaurant our guests know, but the new name gives us an opportunity to express more clearly who we are today and where we are going, while remaining true to what has always defined the experience,” said Director Natsuko Travioli.
Along with the new identity, Sushi Suhama has refined its omakase offerings to give guests distinct ways to experience the restaurant. The Sai Kaiseki Course offers the most expansive progression through the traditions of Japanese multi-course dining, while the new Ran Signature Course balances composed seasonal dishes with a greater emphasis on sushi. The Mio Sushi Course places nigiri at the center of the experience, offering the most sushi-forward expression of the three. The new structure allows guests to choose the style of omakase experience that most appeals to them, from a complete kaiseki progression to an experience centered more heavily around sushi. Across each, menus continue to evolve with the seasons and the availability of ingredients at their peak.
The evolution comes under the continued culinary leadership of Chefs Norio Izawa and Koji Takahashi, alongside Director Natsuko Travioli. Izawa heads Sushi Suhama’s kaiseki program, drawing upon his training in respected kaiseki kitchens in Tokyo and Kanazawa and experience at Nobu in New York and Bluefin in Newport Beach to guide the restaurant’s multi-course culinary experience. Takahashi, who has been with the restaurant since its opening and brings nearly four decades of experience to his craft, leads the sushi program. Working alongside him is Chef Tatsushi Wakabayashi, who joined the team approximately a year ago and brings experience from Nobu, Ikko, and Oshima. Together, the chefs preserve the discipline and precision of traditional Japanese cooking while allowing the experience to evolve with a modern sensibility.
That philosophy extends beyond the menu. From the ceramics selected for each presentation to the intimate counter experience and considered pace of service, Sushi Suhama remains rooted in the Japanese belief that hospitality is expressed through attention to detail. The restaurant’s new identity builds upon that foundation rather than redefining it, marking a natural evolution of a restaurant that has continued to refine itself since opening.
