For the past six years, since the beginning of the pandemic, chef Dahan Kim has operated a catering service, traveling to private homes on weekends to prepare full-course sushi dinners. When one of his fish vendors told him that the space previously occupied by UZEN had become available, he came to take a look.
“I saw the space and I liked it,” Dahan said. “So, we made it happen.”
Rumor has it the restaurant closed when chef/owner, Kazuo Shimizu retired. It had been at that location since 1991, roughly 34 years, making it one of Rockridge’s remarkably long-lived restaurants.
For Kim, who has two children and has been able to spend considerable time with them while working primarily on weekends, this will be a significant change.
“Now that I’m starting the restaurant, I’m going to have to be here every day,” he said. “It’s kind of hard for my kids, maybe they’ll be here more often.”
Although focused on sushi, the restaurant will have a different style from UZEN, beginning with an Omakase (chef’s-choice) experience at the sushi bar—using fresh and seasonal selections. Customers will also be able to order from an à la carte menu. Omakase has been one of Dahan's specialties for about 20 years, which he began focusing on during his work in Los Angeles.
Dahan began his restaurant career as a dishwasher. After moving to the Bay Area in the 1990s, he worked his way up through the industry. He had previously worked in Hawaii, where much of his family still lives, but has long been familiar with the Rockridge area after living in Berkeley.
“I was trying to look at other places, but we locked in on Rockridge,” he said. “I’m really happy and excited to be here.”
The name Gamsa comes from the Korean word for “thanks” or “gratitude.” As a Korean chef, he said he wanted the name to reflect his background, although the food will remain focused on Japanese cuisine, perhaps with a few Korean-influenced dishes.
Kim intends to bring along his long-time business associate and friend Harry, who has worked with him since the beginning of his private-home Omakase service. As he prepares to open, hopefully later this month, he said his goal is simple: to become part of the neighborhood.
“I hope I can meet everyone in Rockridge, and I’ll do my best to serve the community.”
