Owner, chef closes ABQ’s Sakura Sushi to focus on Rio Rancho restaurant

RIO RANCHO — Sakura Sushi’s time serving up a fusion of Japanese, Thai and Laotian cuisine on Montgomery Boulevard has come to a close.

The owner closed the restaurant Oct. 27 after nearly two decades in business, according to a sign posted to the door and shared to the Albuquerque Foodies group on Facebook last month.

On the sign, the owner thanked Sakura’s customers for 18 years of patronage and invited the community to support the owner’s other restaurant, Vong Sushi Thai and Laos Cuisine, in Rio Rancho.

“I cannot handle two places,” said owner Soudavong Soumphonphakdy. “It’s a bigger place, and this part of town is expanding.”

Vong Sushi offers the same food Sakura Sushi did, including seafood tempura, fried tilapia, curry, pad thai, a teriyaki shrimp bowl and a variety of specialty sushi rolls, Soumphonphakdy said.

Soumphonphakdy opened Sakura Sushi in the Los Altos Shopping Center at 4200 Wyoming NE in 2007, after years working in the restaurant industry.

“I always wanted to be a business owner,” Soumphonphakdy said. “Finally, I said, ‘Oh, why don’t I just decide to open my own and see how it goes?’ And it just grew from there.”

The social media post sharing Sakura’s closing message elicited strong reactions, with commenters lamenting the closure and some stating the restaurant had the best sushi in Albuquerque.

“I’m sad too, but overall, we have to do what we have to do,” Soumphonphakdy said. “I just thank everybody for supporting Sakura through the tough times and all I can say is if you come this way, stop by. We welcome everybody and we’ll miss them.”

Vong Sushi, located at 7820 Enchanted Hills in Rio Rancho, opened in January after Soumphonphakdy’s family members and the owners of Thai Taste, the restaurant in the space before, decided to move on. Soumphonphakdy took over their lease, good for nine more years, and aims to build another network of regulars in the area.