Oh, the calls and emails I've received from fans of Sansei, wondering when the Hawaii-based sushi and seafood restaurant will finally open its first mainland location, slated for the new Premiere on Pine building at Ninth and Pine downtown. And at last, an answer: February 21.

Clearly Sansei's locations on Maui, Oahu, and the Big Island have fans. Chef-restaurateur DK Kodama says his Seattle location will draw on our region's local seafood, as the other Sanseis do, but also serve the familiar mix of Pacific Rim dishes and what Kodama calls "new wave" sushi.

Kodama's choice of Seattle for his first mainland location is a logical one, but not entirely coincidental; the big name Hawaiian chef left his engineering studies in 1979 and spent three years working at restaurants around the Puget Sound before returning to the sunnier climes of his home state.

Sansei will have a dedicated sushi bar with eight seats, and nearly 100 more seats between the dining room and the lounge. The restaurant will be open seven days a week for dinner; keep tabs on the newly minted website for more details.