Senfuku Japanese Restaurant, a San Pedro institution, closed its doors after forty-six years following the retirement announcement of Yoshimitsu “Chef Yoshi” Kikuchi, 84, and his wife, Helen.
This restaurant has had a special place in my heart since the first time my husband took me on a date. I also wrote about them in my very first San Pedro Today column.
Chef Yoshi was born in the Iwate prefecture in northern Japan. He came to the United States in 1971 when a restaurant in Downtown Los Angeles sponsored his visa. Eventually, the restaurant moved to Gardena, where he continued to please customers with his sushi-making expertise.
He met his wife, Helen, whose family came in regularly to dine. Ironically, she did not like sushi until she met her would-be husband. After they married, Helen’s father, a restaurant entrepreneur, made an offer neither could pass up: opening their own restaurant.
Their search for the ideal location brought them to Downtown San Pedro, where a Japanese restaurant was for sale. Senfuku was established in 1974 as a traditional Japanese restaurant specializing in teriyaki and tempura, but struggled to become a sushi bar.
When Senfuku Japanese Restaurant opened its doors in the early 1980s under Chef Yoshi and Helen’s ownership, they welcomed a slow but steady stream of patrons, especially from the nearby businesses. However, their growth came with the sushi boom created by the popular historical drama television series Shōgun, which introduced Americans to Japanese heritage and its culinary delights.
By 1991, the Kikuchis remodeled the restaurant to give it a more traditional Japanese decor by replacing the high counter with a sushi bar, shaping it into what it looks like today. Additionally, the couple had two children, Dean and Stacy, who grew up in the business and eventually began helping at a young age.
As sushi became more popular, Japanese restaurants started taking liberties by creating rolls such as the famed California and rainbow. Chef Yoshi, a proud traditionalist, refused to give into the popular rolls despite the necessity to please customers who enthusiastically embraced the westernized options. Dean and Helen stepped in to prepare the new trends. Dean, by now, was a high schooler who had learned the art of sushi making from his father, and held his own behind the counter, skillfully preparing a variety of modern rolls. Even while attending college in San Diego, he drove up every weekend to work at the restaurant.
Senfuku has truly been a family-run and operated restaurant. While the father and son duo expertly made sushi behind the counter, Helen took on front- and back-of-house duties as needed. Her sister Darlene Motoyasu and granddaughter Kayla Vazquez served customers with much friendliness and care. Family friend Pauly Maltese stepped in to help as needed, and most importantly, he made the green tea ice cream and the popular Saketini martini.
Upon the closing announcement, many patrons came in for their last meal, turning the usually low-key restaurant into a packed house requiring reservations to keep up with demand. The Kikuchis and family were overwhelmed and felt a deep sense of gratitude for the outpouring of love. It was very emotional to say goodbye to their loyal, generational customers.
Chef Yoshi and Helen will begin their retirement with a much-needed vacation in Japan, followed by time spent enjoying their grandchildren. Dean will continue his regular full-time day job, now with free evenings. Darlene plans to spend her free time with her five corgis.
But before all of that, they have to clear their beloved home, which has been theirs for almost five decades, for an incoming local restaurant that is relocating.
During my last meal at the sushi counter, I fondly thought of my consistently positive dining experiences at Senfuku. I will miss watching Chef Yoshi’s frail hands masterfully cut and shape sushi, then serve it with a gentle smile. I will miss watching Dean neatly and patiently combine ingredients to create impressive rolls. spt
Sanam Lamborn created the Eat in San Pedro Facebook group and Instagram in April 2020 to entice people to patronize San Pedro’s eateries.
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