I find reviewing Japanese restaurants a challenging experience: I always choose raw fish, in some form, usually Sushi or Sashimi and frankly, I’m unable to differentiate a cold, fresh, unseasoned, uncooked slice of tuna in one restaurant from a cold, fresh, unseasoned, uncooked slice of tuna in another.
So I have established several of my own personal criteria when eating at Japanese restaurants. First and foremost: is the raw fish kept cold? Then, does it look fresh without any kind of an odor when served? I watch the slicers, dicers, and preparers work their magic behind an open Sushi bar and it’s not unusual for me to put my hand on the glass display case to see if it’s cold.
Sumo always comes out a winner. The raw fish is fresh and cold and looks and tastes wonderful and the presentations brought to the table are invariably attractive.
Many readers have asked me to include a comment about noise levels in restaurants I review, and Sumo is among the noisiest. The walls are fashioned out of unforgiving hard vinyl tile and the Hibachi rooms are invariably raucous. The Sushi bar chefs are constantly yelling back-and-forth to each other and, during meal hours, they incessantly, loudly, tenderize a large fish with a cleaver.
Photo: Mark Syvertson
The doors to the Hibachi rooms are left open so the servers can enter with trays full of food without having to deal with opening doors. The Hibachi rooms are designed to be entertainment centers with talented chefs acting as performers as well as cooks. There’s one long room with four double grills and a smaller room with one double grill. Each grill has about 20 chairs which are frequently occupied by loud children.
The menu is extensive with lots of different categories.
I always order miso soup, which is included, rather than the salad, also included, as it seems healthy with seaweed, scallions, and tofu. The salad is fine too but features normal ingredients, including iceberg lettuce that I can find anywhere.
One of my favorite dishes is one of the Bento boxes ($13.95-$16.95). Bento boxes are very popular in Japan as they offer a single portion, complete meal in a box with a lid. I’ve seen bicyclists riding around Tokyo at lunch hour, with multi-Bento boxes packed one on top of another, delivering to various establishments. At Sumo they offer a choice of a dozen open-faced boxes. I usually select the Sashimi box which includes about eight pieces of raw tuna, salmon, and white fish. The compartmentalized box includes three pieces of Gyoza* a mound of white rice, six pieces of a California roll, some shredded horseradish, a few shredded carrots, and the fish. I make a paste out of the green wasabi, (Japanese horseradish), and soy sauce to use for seasoning and dipping.
*Gyozas are found everywhere in Japanese food shops and restaurants. They are folded dumplings, usually fried or steamed, and filled with a combination of shredded cabbage and meat, usually pork or chicken.
Another personal favorite is one of the two dozen Hibachi lunches, ($12.99-$21.99) The least expensive includes only vegetables and the most expensive headlines Filet Mignon and Scallops. The soup that comes with Hibachi lunches is a broth. It’s good, however I usually ask to substitute the heartier Miso soup. These lunches come with a large mound of fried rice and a vegetable. Recently I selected a Shrimp and Scallop combination. The portion included four medium shrimp and three very tender sea scallops with a copious portion of soft, overcooked zucchini. Hibachi lunches come with a double dish of two tasty dipping sauces.
Under Kitchen Entrées I’ve tried, and enjoyed, Chicken Teriyaki, (18.95). Once again there’s a choice of miso soup or salad and this teriyaki portion was huge, with two dozen very tender chicken strips, a mound of white rice and a vegetable combination of zucchini, broccoli, carrots, and a few mushroom slices.
Beverages: I am impressed by the excellent selection of red and white wines, by the glass, ($8.50-$9.50) and bottle, ($23-$31) and there are more than a dozen beers from all over the world including the three most popular Japanese, ($3.95-$8.85.) But wait, there’s more…. lots more: a half dozen non-alcoholic, a dozen “Creative Cocktails”, eight Martini’s and Manhattans, nine, cold and one hot sakis, and four dozen branded whiskey types. Cheers!
Sumo is continuing to serve outstanding, authentic Japanese food, at reasonable prices, throughout the day seven days a week. I work assiduously to avoid the really loud noise level by trying to visit during off peak hours. And an added benefit: whenever I leave Sumo, I feel I’ve eaten a healthy meal.