Natick Center’s restaurant renaissance is nearly upon us, and the newest entry is Tsuru, which will serve Japanese cuisine with a contemporary flair at Stonegate’s residential and retail mixed-use development at 45 East Central St. across from St. Patrick Catholic Church.
The word “tsuru” means “crane” in Japanese, and conveys a vibe of good fortune and longevity. The restaurant, says owner Jack Sy, will deliver creative dishes at prices that won’t break the bank.
Sy envisions Tsuru as a place where people will want to come and have a good time, with decor featuring lots of greens and touches of red. Plans are to have live music on the weekends.
The restaurant will have nearly 100 seats, with 68 inside and 31 outdoors on the patio.
The owner is aiming for a late summer soft opening, and then what sounds like quite a grand opening, with a formal full tuna cutting to celebrate.
Regarding that tuna, Tsuru’s menu will feature ample seafood options, says Sy, who also runs the popular Hanami Sushi Bar and Grill in Belmont.
Sy described sourcing sustainably farmed bluefin tuna raised off the coast of Mexico that he says delivers consistent quality. He also partners with an oyster farm in Wellfleet that delivers a farm-to-table like experience.
The menu at Tsuru will be different than that of Belmont’s Hamani. Among fun options will be “hands-on” food, where patrons will be able to build their own handrolls combining multiple appetizers with seaweed wraps.
As a Johnson & Wales University graduate, Sy intended to pursue a career in the hospitality industry, though started in banking. But he made his way back to the restaurant business, focusing on the management side but with a strong interest in the food and service side.
“I’m a foodie, I love cooking,” he said.
Sy grew up in a family where his dad “worked in restaurants forever,” and Sy’s son is also on a serious culinary track, working with renowned chefs.
Sy grew up in Boston and was mainly familiar with Natick for Rte. 9 and the Mall. He’s now learning Natick Center. An agent approached him about the space at 45 East Central St., which he decided would be a good fit for Tsuru after checking it out.
Tsuru should be in good company as a handful of other restaurants or food-related businesses roll out. We just wrote about Epilogue Books & Wine readying to open at 21 Summer St. across from TCAN, as well as several restaurants planning to launch at The Block at 1 South Main St.
