His discreet sushi popup gained immense popularity. Now, he’s set to launch a restaurant in the Bay Area.

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One of the Bay Area’s most popular — and unusual — sushi operations is opening a permanent restaurant.  

Kinjo, created by the chef of the clandestine popup Sushi Simpin, is set to open its doors at 1747 North Milpitas Blvd. in Milpitas on January 18. Initially, it will offer takeout services, with dine-in options becoming available later this month.

In the height of the pandemic, individuals traveled from various parts of the Bay Area to collect boxes of high-quality sushi from Andy Tran's residence. Initially, Tran began preparing these takeout boxes for his friends, but news of Sushi Simpin rapidly circulated, transforming his small-scale venture into one of the most sought-after food popups in the region. However, in 2021, a notification from the health department led to the closure of his unlicensed operation. 

But Tran regrouped: He traveled to Japan and then returned to host private omakase dinners, including out of a secret location in Fremont. There, he was known for his irreverent style,  including torching nigiri while wearing a leather harness and a ski mask emblazoned with the words, “Yes, daddy.” 

Tran is optimistic that his new restaurant will attract locals seeking delicious sushi at reasonable prices. He noted that the vibrant private dining experiences he offered previously were pricier than his takeout options, which led to some of his devoted customers feeling excluded. At Kinjo, Tran aims to deliver omakase-level sushi without the hefty price tag, targeting around $40 per guest.

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Kinjo will feature elaborate nigiri, showcasing seasonal delicacies such as shirako (cod sperm), and will employ methods like dry-aging and kombu marination. In addition, the restaurant will serve Western-style sushi rolls filled with spicy tuna, spicy mayo, and imitation crab. The inaugural menu boasts a toro taku futomaki roll, a spicy sake maki roll, and miso-grilled fish. Located in a former Korean restaurant within a Milpitas strip mall, Kinjo offers a relaxed atmosphere, complete with a cozy two-seat sushi bar and a laid-back dining area.

Tran never intended to establish a sushi restaurant. Prior to launching Sushi Simpin, he held various entry-level tech positions and prepared rotisserie chickens at Costco. (His LinkedIn profile humorously refers to this role as “Tender to the Flames of the Sacred Chicken Wheel.”) Afterward, he enrolled in culinary school with the intention of focusing on Italian cuisine, but ultimately discovered his passion for sushi. “It was incredibly deep and complex, and it required a lot of knife work, which I really enjoyed,” he shared. 

However, Tran also experienced a sense of intimidation regarding the specialty and its gatekeepers. “Mastering the art of sushi at a higher level is a closely guarded practice, where the journey to entry is often filled with years of hazing, mistreatment, and exploitation of labor before one can truly join the ‘club,’” states the Sushi Simpin website. “Our goal is to abandon these traditional teaching methods and instead provide our team with a supportive and efficient learning atmosphere.”

People flocked to Sushi Simpin for everything from dry-aged toro, seared ocean trout belly, handroll kits and chirashi boxes. It was part of a small but hugely popular pandemic wave of home-based sushi operations on the Peninsula and in the South Bay, including one where customers had to message the owner for a secret access code. They were followed by a boom in affordable takeout sushi in San Francisco and Oakland. 

Though he has moved on from selling sushi boxes from his home, Tran aspires for Kinjo to embody the same friendly and welcoming atmosphere.

“We're not claiming that this particular style of sushi surpasses others,” Tran explained. “Our goal is to create sushi that we personally love and that truly excites us.”