Seiyo

A South End neighborhood staple is set to return in fall 2024 under new ownership. Seiyo, a Japanese restaurant and liquor store specializing in wine and sake, closed in October 2023 after 19 years. New owners Joe Sun and his wife, Siying Wang, originally hail from Dalian in northeast China, where there is a lot of Japanese influence. Sun cites sushi as the couple's favorite cuisine. After the transfer of the liquor license and some minor renovations, Seiyo is poised to reopen in September or October, Sun says. The menu of maki rolls, nigiri and rice bowls will be virtually unchanged, he adds, with some possible additions like takoyaki, a fried ball-shaped Japanese snack. (The original spot’s take on California-style maki was particularly fun, with Maine jonah crabmeat, cucumber and avocado in the classic and a New California version with avocado, black tiger shrimp, asparagus and tobiko.)