Description: A unique, cozy dining experience for the sushi-lover. A fusion of Japanese/Korean/Spanish/American flavors created from the finest and freshest ingredients. Many vegetarian choices. Half-price menu Maki from 5 – 7 pm every day. Open late.

As seen in The Metro Pulse Restaurant Guide

Gregg White is the creator of four thriving restaurant concepts in Knoxville, but the owner of only one. “I recently sold all my other concepts to concentrate on what I think is Knoxville’s best restaurant: Nama,” he says.

He’s come a long way. “At the beginning, sushi was just a joke, ‘We’ll do sushi, ha ha ha,’” he remembers. “I didn’t know what it was. Now I love that we have taken a very traditional Japanese style of food and put our own flair on it, opening sushi to a whole new audience, while also appealing to the traditional sushi lover.”

If there’s such a thing as fusion sushi, Nama’s got it, with rolls such as Maui Wowie, a crunchy shrimp roll topped with yellowtail, avocado, and pineapple salsa. “We turn the traditional into complex flavors,” says White. “Like the Dragon, rolled in tempura crunchies, with a nice sweetness, a little spicy, eel sauce on top for a deep, rich, flavor. It’s an amazing creation that makes everybody happy.”

Nama’s big into sauces, toppings, and salads, and the creativity on the menu extends all the way to the top, with a wasabi hummus appetizer and jerk tofu salad. But it’s the offbeat, American-taste sushi that White’s most proud of. “We’ve turned sushi into something anyone can eat, no longer ‘just raw fish,’” says White. “I remember the face of almost every customer who said, ‘I don’t like sushi’ and was totally wrong.”

At one time, Nama’s owner was in the same category. Says White: “I didn’t even eat sushi when I started Nama.”