eeZ Celebrates 20 Years at Birkdale Village
Charlotte, NC (RestaurantNews.com) eeZ, the sister concept to The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar, is celebrating a big milestone this month: 20 years of serving great sushi and Asian cuisine in the Lake Norman area. A longtime anchor at Birkdale Village, eeZ began as a small, franchised grill concept named Zyng, which was a quicker serve concept that used pre-packaged sauces. According to owner Alan Springate, Zyng would not have lasted at Birkdale Village because it was not what their guests wanted. Springate was forced to quickly change the concept into a restaurant that better ?t the market…and eeZ was born.
So how did the name eeZ come to be? According to Springate, “During the Zyng transition, I wanted to move the concept within a few weeks to an independent scratch kitchen with fresh ingredients that highlighted the best Asian dishes. Fortunately, I was able to work quickly with a friend that ran a small marketing group who presented about twenty names they felt best captured energy and something different. eeZ, which is Zee spelled backwards, just popped. I immediately knew that was the name I wanted to go with and felt it ?t the brand that was to come. Originally it was known as eeZ Fusion and Sushi, but we shortened the name to simply eeZ after undergoing a complete renovation in August of 2022.”
Why, when so many restaurants are closing, is eeZ still here? Springate believes it is because the team strives to listen to their guests and believes each guest should have a great experience. Product quality and freshness has never wavered over the years; the consistent commitment to quality and a reputation for being allergy friendly have also contributed to the brand’s success.
Today, the eeZ menu is much more refined and true to its Thai Asian roots, with fresh sushi, sashimi and creative stir fry and noodle dishes all on the menu. Paired with handcrafted cocktails from Assistant General Manager and resident bar guru Ryan Selman, the unique flavors of these dishes come right through. In 2024 an Omakase menu served solely at the sushi bar was added to the mix. The multi-course menu features a selection of seafood dishes, curated by Head Chef Son Nguyen and Master Sushi Chef Rifali Almunir, who have been overseeing the sushi program for well over a decade.
eeZ will be celebrating their 20 year anniversary from open to close on Monday, March 10 with a special, 2 for $20 menu and giveaways throughout the day.
AS Management, the group behind eeZ, is well known for its continued success in the restaurant industry. In 2023 eeZ took the top prize in Charlotte Five’s Readers’ Choice for Best Sushi and won Best Asian Cuisine in the Best of Lake Norman Awards from Lake Norman Currents. In 2024, the concept was a runner up for Best Restaurant in North Mecklenburg County in Queen City Nerve’s Best in Charlotte Awards. eeZ is the sister concept to The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar, named #6 Top Burger in the U.S. by Yelp and voted Best Burgers in Raleigh in 2024. Find The Cowfish in Charlotte at The Village at SouthPark, in Raleigh at North Hills and at CityWalk at both Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Beijing Resort.
Media Inquiries:
Jennifer Brantley
jennifer@eezfusion.com
980-207-9055
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