New Fresno restaurant serves up sushi with a Mexican twist

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- It's called Culichi Town.

"We don't want our clients to just come and sit down like a regular restaurant, we want to offer something different," says manager Ruben Montiel.

And boy is it different! The northwest Fresno restaurant just opened its doors and is changing the rules of traditional Mexican food.

They specialize in seafood, like ceviche and shrimp cocktails - but also sushi.

"A lot of people think that we sell traditional Japanese sushi, but we don't. We sell more deep-fried sushi with chicken and meat. It is more Mexican with cheese and all that, so we put our own touch," says Montiel.

It's a fusion of cultures, borrowing from the Japanese to create something new.

You won't find raw sushi here - they only used cooked ingredients.

Still, Montiel says the focus is on tradition.

Their plates are reminiscent of the cooking in Culiacan, Sinaloa - one of Mexico's states.

"What makes it traditional is that we use spices from Mexico in Culiacan and they are really unique, you can't find them here."

In the kitchen, cooks make fresh salsa every day and dishes are made when ordered.

One of the big staples is shrimp - also used in drinks.

They have a full-service bar and plan to have live music seven days a week.

Montiel says it's like sharing a piece of Mexico with the valley.

"When you enter our restaurant you are always going to see something different, the colors, the food, the live music," Montiel says.

Culichi Town is open seven days a week, they have lunch specials and a happy hour from 11 to 3.