Maki Shop Should Open On 14th Street Any Day Now

Darren Lee Norris is totally ready to open his new sushi place Maki Shop in Logan Circle at 1522 14th St. NW, and the only thing left is to get the D.C. government's stamp of approval. Once that happens, Maki Shop should be up and running shortly, offering 15 varieties of ready-made sushi that customers can select and eat.

The spicy tuna, vegetable, pork shoulder and crab claw rolls won't be made to order, instead, it's almost like a cupcake shop, Norris tells Eater. "You can see them displayed and pick out the ones you want," he said. "You can buy them one at a time or buy the dozen. They’re made very fresh within an hour."

No roll will ever be more than one hour old, and Norris ordered two sushi-making machines to help speed up the process. A shari rice mixer helps to cool the rice down faster and evenly distribute vinegar to rice, while a rolling machine helps staffers eliminate inconsistencies with sushi rolling. The machine can churn out up to 1200 rolls an hour, Norris says, and he's not aware of any other place in D.C. that has it. And his method of packaging the sushi with cellophane is going to keep the nori crisp, not gummy.

The 15-seat restaurant won't sell alcohol, but will sell healthy drink options from local brands like Capital Kombucha and JRINK. When Maki Shop opens, it will be open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The phone number is (202) 545-6333.