by Kristen Wile

Robin Anthony of PrimeFish is opening an Indonesian restaurant, Nusa, in Arboretum. Kristen Wile/UP

The owner of PrimeFish Ballantyne and Omakase by PrimeFish is going fast casual with his upcoming restaurant. Chef Robin Anthony will open Nusa in The Arboretum Shopping Center on Dec. 11, serving traditional Indonesian fare. The menu will feature two soups — a staple in the cuisine — and three entrées, including a traditional yellow chicken soup and chicken served with a side. Indonesia is a region well known for stews, rice dishes, and curries.

“All of the food is comfort food,” Anthony says.

When he opened Omakase, Anthony did so because he believed Charlotte needed a restaurant that served a high-end, high quality sushi experience. Omakase is a chef’s choice, coursed dining experience originating in Japan, and Anthony’s decision to open a six-seat, high-dollar Omakase spot earned him an UPPY Award nomination for Chef of the Year. He saw a similar gap in Charlotte’s food scene with Indonesian fare, and hopes to make the city’s culinary offerings more diverse with Nusa.

“The Indonesian community here, they want to go eat, they always go to Atlanta,” Anthony says. “Why not here? Because it’s the knowledge and then the business knowledge, too, and the chef. Right now, I can provide that for them — not only for the Indonesian community, but for the Charlotte community. I want to make this city become a more diverse and better place where people want to eat.”

Guests will be able to order chicken fried, grilled, or crispy. The fried chicken features a light breading made with rice, corn, and all-purpose flours, while the crispy chicken is butter chicken. The restaurant will have counter service, with Anthony overseeing the menu, though he will remain primarily at Omakase during dinner service. Nusa takes the place of Charlotte Café and will be the biggest restaurant in the PrimeFish group, seating 75, though the restaurant will open with seating for 50 to start.

”Everything I do, I do for Charlotte,” Anthony says.