New homestyle Japanese restaurant slated for North Asheville

ASHEVILLE - There are plenty of local options for Japanese food — as long as you're looking for sushi.

Japanese comfort food can be a bit tougher to find in any abundance, although Heiwa Shokudo does healthy comfort well.

WakuWaku Eatery, coming to 674 Merrimon Ave., Suite 100, in spring, aims to add to the diversity in Asian food locally. It will serve Japanese homestyle foods made with local ingredients, according to co-owner Naomi Mikami, who responded to questions in an email from Tokyo.

Japanese home cooking is "well-balanced and include(s) the wisdom of predecessors for people who choose to live longer and healthier, and parents who want their children to grow healthy as well."

Both Mikami and her partner grew up in the Kansai region of Japan, and they intend to share with Asheville what they eat at home: Okonomiyaki, a type of savory pancake; Yakisoba, a noodle dish; fried Karaage and Korokke; and Osouzai, or small vegetable-based side dishes.

"Waku Waku" is a Japanese expression for the anticipation that comes from experiencing something new, Mikami explained.

Mikami said she grew up shopping for fresh food ingredients with her mother and grandmother, making meals each day from scratch. "Even then, I knew that traditional family meals were becoming an exception. It has become my mission to keep that tradition alive and to introduce it to a new audience in Asheville in my restaurant, WakuWaku Eatery."