Let’s just keep this restaurant news between us, OK?

It’s been said that all publicity is good publicity, but in this case, Eunice Kim would prefer not to have any.

The Hana Cafe owner reopened her Old Town Square restaurant on Monday, but she says she doesn’t want anyone to know because she wants an especially soft opening.

So let’s just keep this between us.

The newly named Hana Japanese Restaurant will simply be known as Hana, though there’s not a new sign yet.

There won’t be a new menu to share yet, either.

Exterior remodeling hasn’t started, and interior remodeling isn’t done.

Kim says there are several things that conspired against her reopening in the fall as she planned. There have been construction delays and health and family issues.

So why open now?

First, Kim is already paying rent.

Second, her customers are demanding it.

“Everybody’s called me,” Kim says. “I cannot delay any more.”

She says it doesn’t matter to her longtime customers that she won’t have her new menu.

“They don’t care about the new food. They just miss the Hana Cafe food.”

The restaurant has had and will continue to have a lot of dishes from Kim’s native Korea as well.

She also plans a new Hana Fast Sushi, which will be a streamlined menu designed to get lunch customers in and out in about 30 minutes.

Kim will write some daily food and drink specials on a board in the meantime.

The 23-year-old restaurant moved from the east side to Old Town in 2006.

Kim says everything will be ready for an April grand opening.

“We are almost done.”

This story was originally published March 2, 2020 at 5:01 AM.