Chef Cody Auger, the force behind Portland's much-celebrated Nimblefish, is bringing a more intimate vision downtown with Sushi Fukami, an eight-seat omakase restaurant opening next month.

The big picture: After a decade of building Nimblefish into one of the city's most acclaimed sushi counters, Auger told Axios the new project is his chance to focus on a style of preparation rooted in traditional Japanese Edomae cuisine — meticulously cured, seasonally driven bites.

• The move is also a vote of confidence in downtown Portland, where Auger said he sees momentum returning as diners seek exclusive experiences.

Zoom in: The 700-square-foot restaurant, located on Southwest 12th Avenue and Alder, by Multnomah Whiskey Library, seats guests at a large hinoki cypress centerpiece imported from Japan.

• Expect low, moody lighting, textured plastered walls and a minimalist design intended to keep your focus on the plate in front of you.
• There won't be a refrigerated sushi case separating diners from Auger, either.

Plus: He hopes the intimate space will offer service that is "somewhat unseen" — where diners "never felt like they needed to look around for anything."

Best bites: Sushi Fukami — developed from Auger's longstanding pop-up series — will serve roughly 21 to 23 courses for about $175 to $190.

• Dishes will be composed in traditional Edomae style, a 19th-century technique using seafood caught in Tokyo Bay and prepared with salt, vinegar, soy or kelp curing before serving over rice.
• Auger said the opening menu will feature items like skipjack tuna smoked and seared with straw-fed flame, steamed matsutake mushroom and a baked cake-style tamago he said he's spent years perfecting.

Between the lines: Auger has stepped back from day-to-day operations at Nimblefish while he makes the finishing touches on Sushi Fukami. He'll remain an owner of and oversee Nimblefish but plans to primarily focus on the new project.

• "I think people are starting to really appreciate the extra steps we're doing to really curate these experiences, all the fine details," he said.

If you go: Auger said he plans to open Sushi Fukami (1128 SW Alder St.) mid-August.

Tell a fine-dining friend

Borrowers face substantial changes to student loans, including fewer repayment options under President Trump's tax-and-spending law and the final death blow for the dismantled SAVE plan.

Why it matters: Millions of borrowers must pick a new repayment plan, and some will face higher repayments.

• Here are some of the biggest changes that went into effect yesterday:

Sayonara, SAVE Plan

After years of legal limbo and paused repayments, SAVE Plan borrowers will now receive notices to enroll in a different repayment plan within 90 days or they'll be automatically enrolled in the standard repayment plan.

• Those who have to switch repayment plans but don't expect to take out any new federal loans retain more options than those still borrowing.

New repayment plans

The One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act created a new Tiered Standard repayment plan and a new income-driven plan, the Repayment Assistance Plan.

• The Tiered Standard Plan offers fixed monthly payments to repay a loan in full within a minimum of 10 years or a maximum of 25 years, depending on the amount borrowed.
• Under the Repayment Assistance Plan, monthly payments are based on income and the number of dependents.

What borrowers can do

Borrowers should review their repayment plan options, and families and students may need to reconsider their financial strategies.

• Of course, the best option depends on each borrower's scenario. Check out Federal Student Aid's situational illustrations here. NASFAA also has a number of helpful visuals to navigate the student loan wilderness.

Go deeper

💰 Portland has paid another top official to resign — this time the leader of the Office of Community & Civic Life — pushing the city's recent paid-out severance costs to more than $1 million. (The Oregonian)

🏗️ The 1803 Fund, an organization aimed at revitalizing the Albina neighborhood, bought a former industrial campus comprised of seven buildings just south of the Fremont Bridge and plans to develop it into a mixed-use neighborhood. (Portland Business Journal)

🔎 Prosper Portland, the city's urban development agency, is looking for new tenants for two Old Town buildings it repossessed from a failed sneaker manufacturing hub. (Willamette Week)

🍄 Psilocybin businesses are pushing back on an Oregon Health Authority proposal to double licensing fees. (Portland Business Journal)

Plans for the Steel Bridge Skatepark are coming together, with two potential designs under consideration.

The big picture: The renderings are the product of months of community meetings and feedback from the public.

Zoom in: Both designs feature skatepark mainstays — handrails, quarterpipes and a large bowl.

• One has a pedestrian walkway and viewing platform above the bowl — an optimum spot to take in some shredding.
• The other features a plaza with a honeycomb roof.

What's next: The designs for the $15 million project — funded through fees on new development — aren't quite final yet.

• The city will look for more public feedback at a final meeting in September.

🔜 Construction could start as early as next year with a projected opening date in 2029.

👋 Hi there. This is Goose and Beans, loyal compatriots of Axios Portland's Kale Williams.

• We have a favor to ask: Could you all keep it chill with the fireworks on the Fourth?

Every year, we spend most of the holiday weekend shaking and hiding under the bed, which is unpleasant for us and for our owners.

• We don't want to be the fun police, but fireworks have been illegal here since 2022 and last year there were roughly 4,000 reported violations and 27 fires.
• Yes, we are dogs, but we are very smart so we looked up all that ourselves.

🫡 We love this country as much as the next dog, and want you all to have fun, but maybe think about us before you light that M80 in the middle of a residential neighborhood.

• As a thank you, we'll continue to have Kale pick up our droppings from your lawn.