East Side Sushi

Did you check last night's lottery numbers?

Yes.

Are we millionaires?

No.

Great.

I didn't want to give up that fruit cart yet.

Let's go, mi amor.

Honey?

Wake up.

Time for school.

Are you feeling okay?

I'm okay, Ma.

Learn something new, okay?

Alright.

I'll do the cart today.

No.

Pa, look.

I don't have to be at work 'til 6.

But I can help with...

Go home and rest.

What's this?

Lime juice.

For what?

It's cheaper, and less work.

Well it tastes cheaper.

And sea salt tastes better too.

Don't buy that stuff.

Since you're here, I'm going to open up the store for Charlie.

And then you go home?

Yes. And then I go home.

Spare change?

Anything would be much appreciated.

God bless you.

Hey, I need you to close tonight.

Uh, Charlie, I have to pick up my daughter.

Can I get some mango-s?

I'll take some of her mango's.

Come on. Come on. Come on.

Thanks, princesa.

Give me the money!

Open up the cooler.

Dump it out!

Stay on the ground!

Don't look up! Or I'll shoot you in the damn face.

Got it.

They took everything.

Not everything.

Look, tomorrow...

I'll do the fruit cart.

Didn't you hear?

Did you not hear the part where I almost got killed today?

They've been robbing fruit vendors all month.

You've gotta give up that stupid cart.

It's not worth it.

Yes, but...

I can't start a business.

The fruit cart is a respectable job.

You're not going to be able to retire off selling fruit.

That cart takes both of us.

And I can't keep pulling Lydia out of bed at 4 every morning.

I'll ask Charlie if I can put in more hours.

But if not, I have to do that cart.

Mija.

You're still awake.

How'd you say you hurt your face again?

The cart rolled right off the back of the curb,

and bam.

Right in the face.

And it hit your leg too?

It's heavy, honey.

Almost landed right on top of me.

Stupid cart.

We're giving it up anyways.

Come here.

Hello, Pedro.

Hola, Jorge.

He smelled the meat.

Hey, you wanna see my new dog?

Look at the baby.

Yeah.

Hey, I got beer.

Okay.

Juana, I swear this is the best came asada.

You could buy your own taco truck.

You'd make a fortune.

You've got talent, Juana.

Juana, a customer complained about weights on the floor.

We wouldn't want someone tripping over one of these things

and filing a lawsuit, all right?

Konnichiwa. How many?

I'd like to apply for the "help wanted" position.

Do you have experience working in the kitchen?

Yes, lots.

It's very busy right now.

But you come back on Thursday at 9:00 a.m. for interview.

Does the job have medical benefits?

Yes, after three months.

For sure, yeah.

I can be here.

Thanks. Thank you.

Floor it!

Like that?

Just turn it off.

There's a restaurant downtown that's looking for an assistant cook.

What happened to the job at the gym?

They're not going to hire me full-time.

What restaurant?

Osaka.

Horchata?

Osaka.

Osaka?

Doesn't sound Mexican to me.

It's...

Japanese.

What's wrong with the taquerias on East 14th?

I tried those already.

And I'm tired of taquerias.

This place looks...

Interesting.

And their medical benefits kick in after three months.

Osaka?

Is it the place where they throw the shrimp into the air and catch it with their hats?

No, I don't think so.

I'd rather you work at a taqueria, so you can bring home some tacos.

I can still bring food home.

Yeah, but Japanese.

Who wants to eat rice with sukiyaki every night?

You don't know. Maybe they have something besides rice.

I have an interview with them tomorrow.

Look...

Just make sure you are doing what's best for your daughter.

Yes, I will do very well as the assistant cook.

It's the assistant to the cooks.

Cooks. More than one?

Oh, yes.

Three sushi chefs, and one cooks in the kitchen.

You will work exclusively in the kitchen.

Sure, no problem.

Let's see.

Juana.

Sorry, it's Juana.

Ah, Juana.

You've worked in many restaurants.

- Any Japanese? - Yes, many. Lucia's...

Well, that's an Italian restaurant. Um...

Well, mostly Mexican restaurants. But, no, no Japanese.

But you have worked a lot with fish?

Yes, lots. Scale and debone.

Halibut, catfish, red snapper, trout, shellfish, prawns, shrimp.

- Mostly frying fish. - Ah, no frying fish here.

- Lots of tempura, though. - Tempura?

Some of the job will also be taking out the trash,

doing dishes and mopping, helping the busboy.

- Is that okay? - Yes.

We don't usually hire women for the kitchen because they have to lift pots of hot water,

and the bags of rice are 50 pounds.

My daughter is 52 pounds, and I can carry her for hours.

If I cannot do it, you can fire me on the spot.

I won't be offended.

Give me your biggest bag of rice.

I can show you right now.

Can you start tomorrow?

Yes.

Morning, Brenda.

I'm allergic to the cleansers here.

Bad headaches.

I'm sorry, I gotta quit.

I only had this uniform for a couple of months.

I'm donating it to the gym.

Can you mail me my paycheck?

This is where all the other food is cooked.

Tempura, teriyaki, miso soup and so forth.

This is Victor, this is Billy,

and this is our lead sushi chef, Aki.

Hey, Juana, welcome.

Hola, mi amore.

You know, it's about time we have some nice scenery.

It's like San Quentin in here.

Hey, settle down.

Let's move on.

You can start with the pile of dishes there.

Nice to meet you, Aki.

Hey, Billy, we need more cabbage.

I've got five more bentos to fill.

Hey, Juana. Come over here.

- It's Juana. - Huh?

- Juana. - Oh, sorry. Juana.

Slice them just like this.

Sure, no problem.

Hey, forget the dishes today.

We keep you on food prep.

Can I bring my own knives in?

Sure.

Hey, can you come in 30 minutes earlier tomorrow morning?

- I can. - Good.

- Buenos dias. - Buenos dias.

I have worked with lots of Spanish-speaking people over the years.

So I had to learn some Spanish to communicate.

Good.

That's the fish truck.