North Park resident and Cloak & Petal executive chef Robert Cassidy is quietly turning his Little Italy sushi bar into a two‑track operation: a high‑energy, Japanese‑inspired dinner scene up front and, coming soon, a sleek coffee counter right inside the restaurant. As he marks Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with a one‑off Zodiac roll, Cassidy is also gearing up to launch Black Mizu, a compact café tucked into Cloak & Petal later this summer.
From Fire Science To The Fish Line
Cassidy did not start out chasing omakase dreams. He studied fire science at Miramar College and moved to San Diego in 2000 planning on a different kind of high‑pressure career. In an interview with Times of San Diego, he recalled bailing on firefighting in favor of the kitchen line and tells young cooks to “put your head down, listen, watch, and learn as much as you can.”
That mindset carried him through local gigs at Junior Seau's and Point Loma Seafood, then into traditional sushi training under veteran chefs, a slow‑build trajectory mapped out in a feature from FSR.
Big‑Flavor Rolls And A Late‑Night Backbar
At Cloak & Petal, Cassidy leans into bold, shareable plates and inventive rolls instead of strict omakase service. That approach helped the Little Italy spot land in the MICHELIN Guide.
The restaurant's Shibuya Nights backbar, a graffiti‑streaked, cherry‑blossom‑topped lounge profiled by Eater San Diego, doubles down on the transportive vibe. That sense of theater runs through Cassidy's menus, which he builds as much for groups and late‑night hangs as for quiet sushi counter regulars.
Zodiac Roll Spotlight And Black Mizu On Deck
For AAPI Heritage Month, Cassidy developed the Zodiac roll, a stacked combination of yellowtail, blackened shrimp, avocado, cucumber, asparagus, smoked paprika and a honey‑wasabi crema. He walked through the details with Times of San Diego, which also noted his next project inside Cloak & Petal.
Cassidy told the paper that Black Mizu will have its own entrance and retractable doors. San Diego's tourism bureau pegs a July opening and says the café will pour beans from North Park roaster Torque Coffee before expanding into a Japanese and Pacific Rim‑inspired brunch program under Cassidy. According to SanDiego.org, the room will also convert to private dining space outside café hours.
What Locals Can Look Forward To
The Zodiac roll is set to run as a special through May, while Black Mizu should open this summer with a tight coffee menu, then roll into weekend brunch by fall. For Little Italy regulars, it effectively turns Cloak & Petal into an all‑day hangout, a neat reflection of Cassidy's split Korean‑Irish culinary background and his unconventional route into the kitchen.
