ARLINGTON, Texas – What started as a simple job-search turned a Salvadoran family into restaurant owners who continue to break culinary boundaries with their unique, culturally-influenced establishment, a Japanese restaurant called Sushi and Ramen Japanese Restaurant.

Neida Pleitez’s father, Milton Pleitez, moved to New York from El Salvador 23 years ago in search of a better life for his family. In 2000, her father was on the hunt for a job and stumbled upon a Japanese restaurant, East Japanese Restaurant in New York. From there he learned and sharpened his culinary skills preparing Japanese cuisine.

“He only worked in Japanese restaurants,” Neida Pleitez said. “That’s all he knew.”

A few years later, Milton Pleitez moved the family to California, where he worked at the East Japanese Restaurant’s second location. He was extremely skilled by then and worked as a lead chef.

“They had a second restaurant in California, but right now only the one in New York is open,” Maria Flores, Neida’s older sister, said.

The family’s last and most recent move was Arlington. They arrived in 2008 and have lived here since. Upon arrival, the family decided they were done working for other people and were ready to have sovereignty over their hours and working conditions.

“I think they were really tired of working for other people,” Neida Pleitez said. “I think being able to have our own schedule or working with our own family is good because if there’s a problem and we need to close for a week, we can if we really have to.”

Sushi and Ramen Japanese Restaurant is located at 803 W. Park Row Drive. The family has served the Arlington community for several years now.

The restaurant generates a lot of buzz around the city but specifically draws the attention of Hispanic customers.

“A big part of our clientele are Hispanics, and I feel like they want to try Asian food but are scared to because of the language barrier,” Neida Pleitez said.

But there are two sides to every story. Even as the family draws positive attention from Hispanic customers who want to expand their palette, they are also facing bias because they are a Spanish-speaking family.

“A few years ago, when we first opened, a customer came and automatically saw that we were Hispanic and walked out,” Neida Pleitez said.

For now, regulars help to sustain the business. Those regulars tend to gravitate to popular orders. As an example, the restaurant receives 10 or more California roll orders a day, Neida Pleitez said. Some customers even opt for the food that’s most indicative of a blended culture, like the ramen options on the menu.

“I feel like that’s where we can add more spice and get more creative when using our own flavors,” Neida Pleitez said. “However you want it, we’ll do it. Come try it. Don’t be scared to try it.”

Despite facing unique challenges and bias, the Pleitez family continues to offer a unique dining experience for the Arlington community and serves as a symbol of cultural fusion and the American Dream.