The hum of Pacific Coast Highway is about to welcome an exciting new addition: Unico, a Japanese-Italian fusion restaurant, created by the same family behind Japonica, a local favorite with locations in Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach and El Segundo. For freshman Ann Sada and senior Mei Sada, this new venture represents more than just another chapter in their family’s culinary success story—it’s a bold step into uncharted territory.

“We had some rooted confidence from Japonica’s success, but there’s definitely a lot of aspects that we were unsure about because Unico is a whole different concept. We’re trying a new and different cuisine, not just Japanese but Italian,” Mei Sada said.

Their father, Taka Sada, is a fan of noodles, which is no surprise since he grew up in Japan. After settling down with Japonica, he observed that no local restaurants dared to combine Japanese and Italian food. It started as a new concept, but quickly sprouted into a family business.

“Unico is, genuinely, the complete opposite of Japonica, which is visibly a lot more like a traditional Japanese restaurant. But Unico, on the other hand, has a brighter atmosphere, and  a more affordable yet luxurious dining experience,” Ann Sada said. 

At the heart of this restaurant is a commitment to creativity, community, and cultural storytelling, a continuation of the legacy started by her parents, Taka and Chika Sada, two decades ago. With a location just steps away from the original Japonica in Redondo Beach, this new concept is set to challenge expectations while honoring the traditions of Japanese cooking.

“A lot of the recipes of the pasta that they’ve been working on have been based on the type of pasta that my mom makes at home and the recipes she has already made. Our foods at home are made in a Japanese style. My parents conducted even more research on the pasta style, while also adding my mom’s previous knowledge with how to combine the flavors of Japanese food. That’s how a lot of the recipes came to life,” Ann Sada said.

By tasting and critiquing the numerous recipes, the sisters have helped their parents to receive input on the different and varying pastas. According to Ann Sada, teenage girls like her will likely prefer Unico’s atmosphere and dining experience, as it was made to appeal to younger kids, compared to Japonica’s traditional environment. 

“My dad’s goal is to create a place to dine at, not just for locals and adults but also for teenagers, so that they are able to dine out affordably and still get good food, because now it’s so difficult for people like me to find nice dining experiences for a reasonable price, especially with newer restaurants,” Ann Sada said.

For the sisters, seeing their parents succeed so greatly with their businesses has been one of the most rewarding parts of watching their family’s journey into the culinary world. It inspires them to do something similar, to make a lasting impact and create an uniting concept that is praised for being bold but also unique. 

“Food can bring a lot of people together. And I’ve seen it with Japonica. Especially since when I was younger, I’ve had my birthday celebrated there and all my friends have held parties and celebrations there as well. It brings forward a lot of special memories,” Mei Sada said. 

Ann Sada was born when Japonica was 10 years old. From when it was first opened 20 years ago, the restaurant has grown and developed, overcoming many obstacles. According to her older sister Mei, watching their parents being brave enough to try a whole new concept is both inspiring and motivating.

“My dad always talks about how happy it makes him to see that people enjoy the food he makes and the happiness he can spread just by this simple concept of food and that other people can enjoy what he creates,” Ann Sada said.

Japonica has played an influential part in tying the bonds to their Japanese culture and the restaurant has brought the family closer in many ways. This new venture into cuisines has shown the contrasting sides of their families, not just reflecting how much their parents have learned about American culture but also how much the sisters have grown to learn about it too.

“Unico will grow to be a really nice restaurant where you can quickly and affordably get dinner with friends and family when you don’t feel like making anything at home. I hope that it spreads more ideas and love for Japanese food and the cuisine,” Mei Sada said.“Because with the different types of dishes, this concept will be an interesting take on different cultures. And by tweaking popular flavors and tradionalizing well-known Italian dishes, Unico will be a unique conceptualization  in general.”