Rolls ‘n Bowls is getting a makeover.
After business faltered, owner Hiro Leung decided to shut down Rolls ‘n Bowls to transform it into Yume Ume, a Japanese-style restaurant.
Leung, the owner of Dragonfly Sushi & Sake Company, said the rebranding was important to boost the restaurant’s image.
Rolls ‘n Bowls opened in 2005, according to a news release.
“We had to create a new identity for our restaurant to figure out a way to expand our business,” Leung said. “We came to a point where we could not expand Rolls ‘n Bowls because our business was stagnant.”
Yume Ume Japanese Kitchen, located at 3117 SW 34th St., plans to open its doors on Oct. 8, pending the completion of construction. “Yume Ume” is Japanese for “yummy dreams.”
“We believe that food expresses individuality,” Leung said. “We believe that the customers’ dreams are edible.”
Customers will be able to pick out meats and vegetables from a list, and chefs will cook up the bowl based on individuals’ preferences, said Song Kim, executive director of Dragonfly Sushi & Sake Company.
The new restaurant will also have a bar area for beer, sake and tea, according to the release.
He said Yume Ume will offer its customers higher quality food than Rolls ‘n Bowls while keeping the fast service.
He said the food will be affordable but did not give specifics on what the prices will be when the restaurant opens.
He said chefs will be slow cooking food such as braised pork and beef hours in advance to get the most flavor out of it and will be using fresh and locally grown vegetables.
The research team for Yume Ume took more than a year to develop a new menu, and Leung said that almost all of Yume Ume’s dishes will be gluten-free.
Courtney Miller, a 20-year-old psychology junior, has been going to Rolls ‘n Bowls every week since her freshman year, and she said she is sad that the restaurant is gone.
“I will definitely check out the new restaurant, but I’m not sure anything could measure up to Rolls ‘n Bowls,” Miller said.
Yume Ume will be giving its customers a 50 percent discount on its bowls from Oct. 8 to Oct. 10 if customers request it.
Leung said that customers will be treated to a dining experience that was not offered at Rolls ‘n Bowls.
“Gainesville deserves great-tasting fast food,” he said. “We are so confident that our customers will love Yume Ume just as much as they loved Rolls ‘n Bowls.”
