Yumi: Serving up Scrumptious sushi!

Saturday, 1 March 2014 07:20 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Taj Samudra dishes up the best of Japanese fare at its contemporary new restaurant By Cassandra Mascarenhas Colombo is blossoming into a sushi fan’s dream, with delicious Japanese cuisine now found in relative abundance at a number of places, and that too priced to suit every purse. Yet, a true fan would understand when I say that one can never have too much sushi – you’re always on the lookout for new places to put to the test despite having your firm favourites!

The latest Japanese offering in town is ensconced within the newly-refurbished Taj Samudra, ‘YUMI’ – a contemporary restaurant cum bar, and it certainly gives the favourites a run for their money with its delicious food, scrumptious sushi and a vast range of refreshing drinks, all of which come together to ensure patrons have an absolutely satisfying feast. With the sleek, stylish bar running through the length of the restaurant, plush oversized orange chairs, copper orbs softly lighting up the spaces with a warm, golden glow and electronic beats spun out by Resident DJ Anjelika, the restaurant is an eclectic mix of minimalism and vibrant hues, with only the Teppanyaki counter hinting at the cuisine served there when you first walk in. Simple touches like the fresh orchid that sits by your plate and the courteous staff also add to the ambience of YUMI.

After a couple of refreshing sips of the excellent beverages prepared by the bartender, we tucked in to the first dish of the evening, the othoshi, served complementary with the meal, a simple starter consisting of a tuna slice with crab sticks on a biscuit, topped with salmon roe – small but full of flavour, with the fresh tuna contrasting wonderfully with the cheesy cracker and the crab sticks adding a savoury element to it. My personal favourite of the night was brought to the table next – a huge platter of maki and sashimi. Thick slices of fresh, succulent tuna, modha and salmon served on beds of shredded radish and carrot made up the sashimi, with California rolls, again topped with salmon roe, and avocado, cucumber, prawn and crab maki rounding off the platter. The chefs informed us that the modha was sourced locally and the salmon from Norway, which was hard to believe as the sashimi tasted so fresh, it felt like they had been fished from the sea just that morning. The condiments accompanying the platter – fresh Japanese horseradish, pickled ginger, wasabi and soy sauce – too deserve a mention. No insipid wasabi to let down our taste buds this time! A chef assured that YUMI is the only Japanese restaurant in Colombo to serve fresh wasabi paste, made in-house by the chefs themselves by crushing the root sourced from Japan from which wasabi is derived. After having our fill of sashimi and nigiri, we were then treated to prawn tempura, deep fried to perfection, served with a tempura sauce. Alternating between the distinct flavours of the tempura sauce and soy sauce is worth trying when having tempura. This was followed by deep fried chicken, a fairly standard dish, but one that is given a flavourful twist thanks to the spicy sesame sauce that accompanies it.

The steaming hot miso soup, traditional Japanese fare, came as somewhat of a relief after that veritable feast and we sipped at the basic yet delicious drink as the main course were brought to the table. After feasting so liberally on the delicious starters, we were glad to see that the chef had kept it simple and served fresh off the Teppanyaki counter – teriyaki chicken, grilled seer fish and vegetables with a bowl of sticky steamed rice, served with peanut sauce, was the perfect pairing with the rather plentiful starters. We leaned back with absolute satisfaction upon polishing off the main course, almost sliding off the slick orange leather of the plush chairs in the process! And yet, we were not done as the final dish of the night, scoops of ice cream which I first mistook for mint, but was in fact green tea. Certainly an acquired taste but worth trying and it was a fine conclusion to the spread that we had indulged in. A restaurant with cuisine that begs countless revisits, Taj Samudra’s YUMI is definitely worth trying out – the delicious food coupled with its inviting staff and great atmosphere ensures a great dining experience. For vegetarian sushi lovers, YUMI’s menu boasts a wide range of veggie options. For those craving a quick sushi fix at lunchtime, the restaurant has just introduced a special lunch menu served in Bento boxes that should soothe those cravings. Pix by Daminda Harsha Perera