Sushi Para has rebranded itself Sunny Sushi & Poke after three Health Department closures | Upper East Site
Sushi Para has rebranded itself Sunny Sushi & Poke after three Health Department closures | Upper East Site

Sushi Para Rebrands Following 3 Health Department Closure Orders, Forged Letter Grade

The popular Upper East Side sushi take-out spot known as Sushi Para, has rebranded itself Sunny Sushi & Poke, in an apparent attempt to distance itself from the negative attention surrounding the restaurant’s decision to continue serving customers after repeatedly being ordered to close by the Health Department over unsanitary conditions.

Sushi Para has rebranded itself Sunny Sushi & Poke after three Health Department closures | Upper East Site
Sushi Para has rebranded itself Sunny Sushi & Poke after three Health Department closures | Upper East Site

Sushi Para was reinspected and reopened earlier this month following its third shut down by Health Department, which came after Upper East Site tipped off inspectors that the eatery was back in business despite the closure orders, using a forged inspection letter grade to mislead customers.

EARLIER COVERAGE | UES Sushi Restaurant Shut Down Over Sanitary Violations Keeps Serving Customers

Following the reopening, eagled-eyed Upper East Site readers spotted that Sushi Para changed the signage outside its storefront at 1457 Third Avenue, between East 82nd and 83rd Streets, last week. 

Sushi Para was ordered closed a third time after Upper East Site spotted delivery workers at the restaurant earlier this month | Upper East Site
Sushi Para was ordered closed a third time after Upper East Site spotted delivery workers at the restaurant earlier this month | Upper East Site

However, nothing else appears to have changed at the sanitarily-challenged restaurant, including the brown window coverings obscuring the interior of the take-out spot, which now appears to be using the main dining area as space for an office, rather than seating for guests. 

Even stacks of Sushi Para menus still sit on a table by the front door near where an employee typically coordinates pickup of delivery orders.

Nothing has been changed inside the restaurant, including menus still reading Sushi Para | Upper East Site
Nothing has been changed inside the restaurant, including menus still reading Sushi Para | Upper East Site

The restaurant has also already changed its name on the delivery apps Grubhub, Uber Eats and Door Dash — eliminating a name that may leave a bad taste in your mouth.

Sushi Para was originally ordered closed during a March 13th inspection by the Health Department which revealed 10 sanitary violations, most of them critical, accounting for a total of 58 violation points.

Sushi Para has rebranded itself Sunny Sushi on third-party delivery apps as well
Sushi Para has rebranded itself Sunny Sushi on third-party delivery apps as well

Rodents, live roaches and filth flies were all noted to be found inside the restaurant, as well as foods kept at dangerous temperatures and a lack of protection from potential sources of cross-contamination.

The restaurant was ordered closed by the Health Department a second time, on March 20th, after being contacted by Upper East Site, which had documented that Sushi Para was back open and filling orders.

Sushi Para was under closure orders by the NYC Health Department from March 13th through April 6th
Sushi Para was under closure orders by the NYC Health Department from March 13th through April 6th

Two weeks later, on April 3rd, a reader reached out with a tip that Sushi Para was once again back in business, the bright yellow closure notice once again missing from its front door. 

What we found at the restaurant was a large ‘C’ letter grade — the kind issued by the Health Department after an inspection — posted in the window. However, the more than three-year-old form, from February 2020, had been forged with permanent marker in an attempt to make it appear that the date was from 2023.

ALSO READ | EXCLUSIVE: UES Sushi Restaurant Flouts Closure Orders, Forges Health Department Inspection Grade

Upper East Site contacted officials once again and Sushi Para was ordered closed for a third time.

The Health Department tells us that Sushi Para was reinspected and authorized to reopen back on April 6, 2023. However, the inspector noted finding live roaches in the restaurant, as well as evidence of rats.

Two Health Department closure orders were stuck on Sushi Para's storefront following its third closure | Upper East Site
Two Health Department closure orders were stuck on Sushi Para’s storefront following its third closure | Upper East Site

As for the new name, a DOHMH spokesperson explained that, “When a restaurant changes [its] Doing Business As (DBA), they need to provide [The Department of Consumer & Worker Protection] with information to amend their license. Changing the DBA does not affect their ability to operate.”

Sushi Para was authorized by the Health Department to reopen on April 6th | Upper East Site
Sushi Para was authorized by the Health Department to reopen on April 6th | Upper East Site

When contacted to confirm whether the license was amended, DWCP referred us back to the Health Department, which would only say that “Sushi Para is authorized to operate.”

Reached by phone on Friday, a representative for Sushi Para and Sunny Sushi & Poke told Upper East Site they changed the name, but everything else remains the same.

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