Five days after opening, the fledgling eatery—which offers Japanese staples, including sushi and hibachi—was forced to shift entirely to delivery and to-go orders.
“We tried to do delivery and pickup, but we didn’t make enough to cover the costs,” Shuxia said. “It was a hard time.”
According to Shuxia, the business was able to stay afloat through those first few months by spreading out rent payments over the course of the rest of the year.
After opening to full capacity in 2021, Shuxia said Nukumi Japanese Steak House has since gained traction with the Kingwood community.
The menu boasts more than 100 options, ranging from appetizers such as kimchi, edamame and crab puffs to entrees such as shrimp tempura and chicken teriyaki.
Additionally, Shuxia said most of the items on the menu can be customized to fit customers’ specific needs.
Shuxia said one of the most popular aspects of the restaurant is the hibachi bar, which allows customers to sit in front of the chefs as they prepare their meals.
After making it through the COVID-19 shutdown, Shuxia said the business is still feeling the effects of the pandemic.
“The hardest part is the employees are hard to hire today,” she said. “You need to hire someone who is skilled with Japanese food. It’s not a burger. It’s not easy to make.”
Despite some of the early difficulties Shuxia said she and Tony have had to surmount since opening, she said everything has been worth it.
“My husband had the dream to own the restaurant. We prayed on it together,” she said. “Since we opened, we’ve been so happy. Everybody wants to have their own business. When you work in a restaurant for so many years, you want to be your own boss.”
Nukumi Japanese Steak House
20045 Northpark Drive, Ste. 400, Kingwood
281-570-4579
www.nukumi2020.com
Hours: Mon.-Thu. 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 4 p.m.-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sun. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
