Japanese steakhouse to open

Here at Biz Buzz, it's all restaurants, all the time, so let's get right to it.

There are several new restaurants coming to the area and some changes to one of the major restaurants we have. So this installment of Biz Buzz is being almost exclusively devoted to fattening up the masses.

Shogun Japanese Steak and Sushi bar is under construction at 289 S. Broadview St. in the South Broadview Plaza. That's the former spot of the short-lived Carrington House Factory Direct Furniture in the building just to the south of where CiCi's Pizza is.

I couldn't reach owners Mijet and Amy Shi, but I did get a peek of the new restaurant, which is still being renovated. (No, I didn't break and enter. The door was open and construction guys were in there.)

It looked like a traditional Japanese steakhouse with several cooking stations. That's where cooks prepare the food right in front of you, often creating big flames that delight me and 4-year-olds.

I've been to one in Branson, and it is quite a show, with the chef basically tossing the food onto your plate and making jokes while you wait. Shogun, by the way, means "general" in Japanese.

* Another Sonic coming: Now that Drury Land Development Inc. has its special-use permit approved (the Cape Girardeau P&Z Commission approved it Thursday night), plans for a new Sonic Drive-In Restaurant are a go at 262 Siemers Drive, according to director of development Al Liescheidt.

The new Sonic is being started by a franchisee out of Kentucky called D&B. Construction is expected to start soon in the spot, which is in Cape West Plaza near Target.

It is expected to open within the next 60 to 90 days.

* No longer joined at the hip: Ed Radetic has made the decision to separate Fresco from the Dairy Queen on North Sprigg Street. Merging the fast-food burger joint and espresso coffee bar and pastry shop wasn't sitting well with the Dairy Queen franchise, Radetic tells me.

"Conceptually, they were dissimilar," Radetic said. "Sometimes what works in theory doesn't work well in practice."

He closed the Fresco (not the Dairy Queen -- you keeping this straight?) on Saturday. But he hope to relocate the Fresco as a stand-alone business somewhere along Kingshighway. His intentions are to have the new Fresco up and running by November.

Meanwhile, all that old Fresco space in the Dairy Queen will be converted for more seating, he said. Also, he expects the new Jackson Dairy Queen to be open by mid-September.

• N'Orleans to serve lunch: Speaking of Radetic, he also said that these changes in circumstance will allow him to use the Fresco staff to start serving lunch at the Royal N'Orleans, which he recently bought from John and Jerrianne Wyman.

Starting this Wednesday, the restaurant will open for lunch and will feature sandwiches and salads and other lunchy munchies.

* El Durango opening at mall: Cape Girardeau resident Rick Draughon was tired of driving 55 miles to eat at his own Mexican restaurant in Fredericktown. So he's decided to open another El Durango here at Westfield West Park.

The new restaurant is set to open in mid- to late September, he said, in the spot previously occupied by Shangrila.

Draughon said his Fredericktown restaurant is authentic Mexican food, but this one will feature more a more southwestern flair.

Right now, they're doing some remodeling while waiting for business and liquor licenses, he said. Draughon is owner of Draughon Construction.

* China Buffet: Add another Chinese buffet to the mix. Phoenix Buffet closed at 2146 William St. in Cape Girardeau awhile back. But now new manager Gary Huang is having the spot remodeled to open a new Chinese buffet called ... Chinese Buffet.

Huang told me last week that he hopes the remodeling is done soon and that the new restaurant is open within a month or so.

* More on Fishman: Last week, there was a story in the Southeast Missourian about Eli Fishman, the owner of the now defunct Cape Shoe Co. Here's a footnote.

Fishman is finishing up his doctorate at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Soon, he will return to his beloved Chicago.

His new dream is to start a not-for-profit tutoring program for elementary school children on the Internet.

"A lot of these groups do it for profit, but not me," he said.

Scott Moyers is the business editor for the Southeast Missourian. Send comments, business news, information or questions to Biz Buzz, 301 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63702-0699, call 335-6611, extension 137 or e-mail smoyers@semissourian.com.