Angel Yeo’s path to owning Toya Sushi began in Malaysia, where she was born and raised. She went to college in Santa Cruz, where she supported herself working in restaurants. Eventually, Yeo and her husband fulfilled their dream of becoming restaurant owners. After decades of success, Takara Sushi moved to the Westside three years ago and changed names. Toya Sushi offers takeout only with easy online ordering and a pick-up window. Yeo says the food is full of traditional sushi favorites. Appetizers include avocado tuna with ponzu sauce and sweet mussels with “Monster Sauce,” a housemade garlic-forward sweet and tangy creation. Classic rolls include Takara with Hamachi and daikon sprouts and the spicy tuna with tempura shrimp, avocado and cucumber. They also offer boba, a fresh-brewed three-tea blend and slushies. Toya is open from noon-8pm every day (8:30pm Fridays and Saturdays). GT fished for more info on Yeo’s unique drinks and her background.
Describe your journey to owning a restaurant.
ANGEL YEO: Growing up in Malaysia taught me to work hard. Since I’m passionate about the food business, and so is my husband, we put our hard work into Takara and Toya. My husband has a passion for clean and healthy food and, for me, serving customers. I get to celebrate special occasions in their lives and watch them grow up.
What sets your drink menu apart?
The drinks are all completely made from scratch utilizing fresh and organic ingredients. We brew the tea leaves at different temperatures and steeping durations so we can serve fresh tea. Many of our slushies use fresh organic purees that we make, like strawberry and mango. For matcha lovers, we have our very popular matcha latte with organic dairy or non-dairy.
