Restaurateur closes Blu Sesame, plans new establishment

The owner of Blu Sesame Asian Diner and Takeout closed his downtown restaurant last month but plans to open a new establishment on West Sunshine Street.

Angel Kim, who also operates The Argentina Steakhouse and ReRico Brazilian Grill, said his nearly four-year-old Blu Sesame venture closed on Valentine’s Day. The 3,000-square-foot space at Wilhoit Plaza, 431 S. Jefferson Ave., is now listed for rent at $4,020 per month by Wilhoit Properties real estate agent Anita Zimmerman.

“Blu Sesame was doing great. It was just hard for me to go and make sure everything was good at the downtown location,” Kim said, noting the new space is close to his home. “Our lease was up downtown and I just wanted to try something different.”

Kim said he’s targeting a March 28 open date for his new sushi restaurant, Novo Asian Bistro.

He signed a lease in December with Eoff & Associates for roughly 2,000 square feet at One Park Centre, a shopping center at 2025 W. Sunshine St. that also houses The Roost Bar & Grill. Kim said he signed a five-year contract at $12.50 per square foot.

Next door to the former Blu Sesame restaurant at Wilhoit Plaza, BYOPizza is undergoing a redesign and expansion under an ownership change made in January. According to the restaurant’s Facebook page, the group expects to reopen at the beginning of April.

Zimmerman said Wilhoit is close to signing a tenant for the former Moxie Cinema space, though she declined to provide details because of ongoing negotiations. The Moxie moved out of Wilhoit Plaza to occupy space at College Station Lofts downtown.[[In-content Ad]]