BUCKTOWN — In a room packed with revelers Monday, hedge fund manager Boris Krupa said he was proud of his wife, Lindsay.
About a month ago, her entry beat out hundreds of other names to give a new sushi restaurant its name.
"We're very frugal and cook at home a lot. This is like our 'date night,'" said Krupa, a PR and social media specialist. "It's so exciting. Everyone came out tonight."
For Enso Sushi's grand opening at 1613 N. Damen Ave., GM Vassaly Sivanthaphanith and Enso's kitchen crew hammered into a barrel of sake, as part of kagami-biraki, a ceremony that marks a juncture in time, like a new business or job.
"It means good luck, prosperity, good fortune," Sivanthaphanith told the well wishers.
Having previously studied, lived and worked in Japan, Krupa first learned about the circular ensō symbol in a semester-long sumi-e brush painting course at Kansai Gaidai University.
“I was intrigued by the bold simplicity of it. Its clean lines appeal to urban dwellers such as myself as we seek to find a balance between traditional and modern," Krupa said. "In that way, incorporating the ensō symbol lends a deeper cultural meaning—enhancing design esthetics, tastes and traditions.”
Krupa receives a $100 monthly sushi stipend for naming Enso. Monday was the couple's second visit, having popped by in September, when Krupa was among the first to Yelp about Enso.
