This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
After 10 years in business, The Mikado Cottonwood will close. According to an email from Watkins Restaurant Group, Saturday, Dec. 8 will be its last day in operation at 6572 S. Big Cottonwood Canyon Rd.
The announcement comes the same week that former Mikado owner Gene Kwon, pleaded guilty to theft, securities fraud and a pattern of unlawful activity for misleading his friends to obtain loans.
One of those friends was Chris Watkins, who in 2007, took over Kwon's Hapa Grill in Park City, Ichiban Sushi in Salt Lake City and the Mikado in Cottonwood Heights and formed the Watkins Restaurant Group. Kwon and Watkins had been friends since high school. (The original Mikado in downtown was sold and is now Naked Fish.)
The Watkins Group, which has since closed Hapa Grill, will continue to operate the two other Mikado Restaurants in Bountiful and Sandy as well as Ichiban Sushi.
As a "thank you" to its customers, Mikado Cottonwood is offering buy-one-get-one free on all sushi rolls and entrees this Saturday. The offer is good all day at the Cottonwood location only. Free rolls or entrees must be of equal or lesser value.