ROCKPORT — Vee Aramtsip, owner of Tomi's Sushi and Noodle Bar at 106 Commercial Street in Rockport, celebrated his restaurant’s grand opening to the public on Thursday, October 5.

Tomi means fortune and wealth in Japanese. Vee said it was his daughter who came up with the name, meaning she hopes the restaurant brings them good fortune.

Vee said it is great to be open, but as with any new venture, there are glitches.

"The computer program we are having problems with,” said Vee. "We have never used it before so it will take some getting used to. There are no problems with the quality of the food. It is very high."

Tomi's features many of the same items, with very few exceptions, on its menu that former restaurateur Mr. Watt had.

I was a sushi chef for 15 years and then got out of it a while," said Vee. "Then I came back to it and now I am here."

"The last sushi bar I worked at was New Ginza in Boston," he said. "They had four sushi chefs all working at the same time. It was very busy. I'm used to being busy. I know all the menu items, my memory just needs to come back and it is the more I make."

New Ginza was the winner of numerous awards including those of Boston magazine, Best of Boston's Best New Restaurant; North American Restaurant Association's Award of Excellence, 2003-04 and Zagat Survey's "Extraordinary," 2006.

It has been featured in Zagat 2012-13 and the Boston Globe.

Tomi's will be closed on Tuesdays. They'll open for lunch at 11:30 a.m. and remain open through dinner, 8:30 p.m. with longer hours in the summer.

Penelope Baker with Pam and Erin Allemeier sat at a table enjoying Bento box lunches.

They were obviously very happy.

"We've been coming here a long time," said Baker. "We knew today was the grand opening and we've been looking forward to it."

Seated at the sushi bar with me was Captain Russell Troy from Appleton. Captain Troy runs a charter fishing boat out of Boothbay called the Catch 22.

"I come here often," he said. "I was at the bank today and saw the grand opening and decided to stop."

I had the octopus salad, hot and sour soup and the sushi lunch. I couldn’t resist ordering more nigiris; Stripped Bass, Salmon and an order of Eel to top things off.

It was one of the best octopus salads I have ever had, though could have used a touch more vinegar for my tastes.

The soup was wonderfully spicy and will make a great meal on a cold autumn day. The cuts of fish were fresh and generous for the sushi lunch. Four pieces of fish, a tuna roll and a salmon hand roll made the $11.95 lunch price affordable for the generous dish.

I sat and watched large bowls of steaming noodle soups and Pad Thai make their way from the kitchen to tables of hungry patrons. Everyone was glad that Rockport got its sushi bar back.

For five years, Mr. Watt's Noodle and Sushi Bar restaurant had prospered. Mr. Watt dropped out and turned over the business to his younger brother, Vee. There are four sisters and two brothers that make up the family.

Vee's wife, Ann, will help in the kitchen, as well as his wife's brother and two friends from Boston.