One Dollar Sushi Opens on Poquonnock Road

There’s a new sushi restaurant in town and no, the place is not decorated with funky Asian lanterns and folding panels. No there’s no water fountains or fish tanks, in fact there’s not even a place to sit – inside at least. That’s because it’s located in a drive through and/or walk up booth that’s as big as any other restaurant’s walk-in freezer. 

One Dollar Sushi opened at 994 Poquonnock Road (across from Starbucks) about two months ago, according to owner Ju Kwak, and so far business is great. 

Ju Kwak, now of Groton, moved here about six months ago after a long stint on the West Coast. Kwak, who claims to have been making sushi his whole life, said he grew up in Korea and Japan, where he went to Sushi school and he moved to the United States in 1980. 

Before moving to Groton, Kwak said has opened about 30 sushi restaurants since he moved to the United States in 1980, including Nanami in East Lyme. And, he has had several celebrity customers like Yo-Yo Ma, Bill and Hilary Clinton, and sports icons. 

The menu at One Dollar Sushi has just under 100 items but don’t let that stop you from ordering off the menu. 

“I can make 1,000 different kinds. 10,000 different kinds!,” said Kwak. 

The $1 sushi sign attracted 10 people on its first day open, he said. Now he frequently sells out by 6 p.m. 

Kwak’s time in Los Angeles as a sushi chef introduced him to drive thru sushi stores, which he says, are commonplace. Why not bring that trend here, he thought. His rent is very low and it’s just him in the small store and that’s why he can offer sushi for $1. 

“Best price, best sushi. Who can beat it!” he said. 

Kwak gets fresh fish deliveries every day and the secret to good sushi depends as much on the chef as it does the fish. 

“Experience has taught him how to make great sushi,” he said.

Kwak says he gets tons of requests to open another shop but for now, he's retired and is happy with one shop.