Matsuyama Restaurant is a little sushi shop that offers a big assortment: 50 kinds of sushi ranging from the classically simple to the ornately complex.

Some of Matsuyama’s most popular rolls include the House Spicy Tekka Maki ($6.95), which contains marinated spicy tuna, cucumber and avocado; and the Lion Roll ($11.95), featuring battered, deep-fried shrimp, seared salmon, avocado and green onion. Hand rolls, which are rolled in a cone shape instead of sliced, include Eel ($4.95) and Soft Shell Crab ($6.95).

Owner Jean Wu personally enjoys the Red Rose ($14.95), a large roll containing spicy tuna, shrimp tempura, asparagus, crab mayo and cream cheese topped with scallops, super white tuna, roe, green onions and a spicy sauce.

For diners seeking variety, Wu recommends the Chirashi meal, several kinds of sashimi ($16.95) served over sushi rice with salad and soup. Other main courses include Tempura Prawns ($12.95) and Chicken Katsu ($12.95). Appetizers such as Deep Fried Squid ($6.95) and Gyoza, or pan-fried dumplings ($6.95) are delectable starters. Matsuyama also maintains a board of specials to provide a cavalcade of new palate pleasers for guests to try, and offers seasonal fish such as halibut, sea urchin and fatty tuna when available. The restaurant makes all of its own sauces, and has received many compliments from satisfied diners.

Matsuyama’s kitchen is also receptive to custom orders. The restaurant’s array of ingredients in stock allows the chefs to produce almost any roll you can imagine, and they’ll happily make a customized roll for the selective sushi connoisseur.

Jean Wu and her husband Steven are pleased to be able to bring their culinary skills to Discovery Bay, their fourth Matsuyama location. “We like it here; it’s a nice area,” said Jean, who with Steven opened the Discovery Bay restaurant two months ago. She enjoys the restaurant’s proximity to the other Matsuyama locations, which allows them to help each other with staffing in the event of sudden spurts of business.

Jean and Steven learned the art and science of sushi through experience, at home and in other restaurants. Jean helped her brother with his restaurant before she and Steven opened their first Matsuyama location. Steven was experienced in all aspects of restaurant management, from dishwashing to the proper way to slice fish.

Though the work is difficult, they enjoy it. “When you see the customer likes it, you’re happy,” said Jean. “I really want to put our hearts into treating the customers like family.” Their combined experience has helped the business to grow and expand, and their creativity and service draw their customers back again and again. “We know Japanese food,” said Jean. “We’re doing good here.”

Matsuyama Restaurant, located at 14870 Highway 4, Suite E in Discovery Bay, is open from 12:30 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays through Thursdays and Sundays through Mondays; 12:30 to 9:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; closed Tuesdays. Call 925-516-6298.