Nova Scotia

Sydney sushi restaurateur drawn to Cape Breton's slower pace

Cape Breton's natural beauty and slower pace of life have helped to attract an immigrant family to the island, bringing with them the promise of a new culinary option for downtown Sydney.

Korean immigrant is teaming up with local businessman to open downtown restaurant

Cape Breton contractor Allan Keating and his business partner, Hak Sang Sung, are shown at the location of their soon-to-be-built sushi restaurant in downtown Sydney. (Holly Conners/CBC)

Cape Breton's natural beauty and slower pace of life have helped to attract an immigrant family to the island, bringing with them the promise of a new culinary option for downtown Sydney.

Hak Sang Sung is a partner in a sushi restaurant that will soon be built at the corner of Townsend and Bentinck Streets.

Sung is originally from Korea. Since immigrating to Canada in 2007, he's run Japanese restaurants in Manitoba and New Brunswick. He moved to Sydney in July.

"I heard that many people said that this city is one of best ways to live in," he says. "Especially my wife — likes the water and the mountains."

Sung's business partner is local construction business owner Allan Keating. They met through a real estate agent who was showing Sung some property.

"As a businessman and Cape Bretoner, you gotta take some risk," said Keating. "And I know Sung's very professional, and I met his wife and family, and I know they're going to run a successful business here. So I'm looking forward to opening very soon."

The pair hope to have a two-storey building erected and the restaurant open for business sometime in December.