Downtown Rockford restaurant under new management
A downtown Rockford sushi restaurant is under new management and has a new menu.
Omakase, 223 E. State St., is now managed by Han, a native of South Korea and a former chef at Zen Sushi in Beloit, Wisconsin and I Luv Sushi in Rockford.
Han said his Korean name does not translate into two English names — just Han.
Omakase's new menu features Korean and Japanese dishes. Selections include crunchy shrimp tempura, spicy tuna roll, Komodo dragon roll, sushi burritos, bowls, ramen, steak and chicken.
"Authentic Korean food," Han said. "Very simple."
Omakase was Rockford restauranteur Matt Idzikowski’s third downtown restaurant in five years when he opened it in 2018, serving a variety of ramen dishes and sushi favorites like California rolls and signatures like the 815 Roll, Omakase Roll and State Street Roll.
When he opened Omakase, Idzikowski also owned Vintage @501 and Blue Line Sports Pub in downtown Rockford. He sold Blue Line in 2020, opened Prime steakhouse on Rockford's east side in 2022 and closed Vintage @501 this summer.
Idzikowski said he's not getting out of the restaurant business, just downsizing as he prepares to be become a new father.
"I'm trying to scale back my involvement in the day-to-day operations," Idzikowski said. "And running between three restaurants with a baby on the way, being needed at home, is pretty difficult."
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Downtown Rockford restaurant Omakase under new management
