Two cultures come together at Culichi Town restaurant in Modesto

I had to look twice at the sign to make sure I had read it correctly: Culichi Town Sushi and Mariscos Sinaloa Style.

Mexican sushi?

It seems like an oxymoron, but Alex Sanchez assures me it isn’t. Culichi Town, which is set to open in Modesto next month, will serve sushi, crab and salmon that has “its own Mexican kick to it.”

Culichi Town is a growing chain of franchised restaurants headquartered in Southern California. Sanchez said his uncle Juan Fonseca owns the Modesto restaurant, which follows the growing popularity of sushi in his hometown of Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico.

“Instead of selling tacos on the street corner, people are selling sushi,” Sanchez said.

Culichi Town has been growing outside of its Southern California roots – in fact, this month, a franchisee is opening a restaurant in Houston, Sanchez said.

He said Modesto seemed a good spot for a Culichi Town because of the area’s large Latino population. “It’s a different environment from anything Modesto has had,” he said.

Culichi Town will offer carne asada, chicken and other traditional dishes as well as seafood, Sanchez said. And the food isn’t the only attraction: “We’re going to have a full bar and a live band,” Sanchez said. A house band will play on weekends, with other musicians coming in during the week.

“Sometimes we will have one guy with a guitar, sometimes we will have karaoke,” he said. “But it doesn’t stop it from being a family business. We will keep everything under control.”

Once people stop in, Sanchez believes they will be hooked.

“We obviously love sushi,” he said. “Come out and try it. It’s something good.”

Culichi Town is expected to open in mid-January at 3250 Dale Road, Modesto.

Elsewhere around the Business Beat:

There are a couple of new places to rent U-Haul equipment in the Northern San Joaquin Valley.

According to a news release, U-Haul Company of California has contracted with Beacon Food Mart in Oakdale and California Radiators & Transmissions in Riverbank.

Customers can rent moving trucks and towing equipment, as well as pick up boxes and other supplies. Beacon Food Mart is at 260 N. Yosemite Ave. in Oakdale. California Radiators & Transmissions is at 2641 Patterson Road in Riverbank.

This story was originally published December 1, 2016 at 7:50 PM with the headline "Two cultures come together at Culichi Town restaurant in Modesto."