Yumi is the Japanese restaurant at Taj Samudra. It’s actually a bar and restaurant rolled up into one.  Every time I have gone there they have had something new on their menu. They change their menu frequently and add interesting new items. So a few days ago we dropped by to check out what was new and we were not disappointed with the fare. 

Here’s what we thought of our experience. 

Ambience 

This restaurant is tastefully decorated with appropriate furniture. The comfy seating and dim lighting enhances the tones of rust and wine interior and sets the mood for a relaxed evening. The long bar you see as you enter with the neatly stacked bottles of spirits is exotic and inviting, mostly because of the warm lighting, colours and the elegant display. 

Food 

We tried out their recently introduced Volcano (Rs. 1750). This Maki portion had eight pieces. The look of it does justice to the name. It looks like a little mountain with an orange fiery tip. I was wondering why it wasn't wrapped in seaweed as it usually is and inquired about it. What I learnt was that instead of the usual seaweed wrap, it’s wrapped in a soya bean sheet. And since it’s white it blends in with the rice.The staff explained to us that this is the only place in Sri Lanka where you get this type of Maki and it’s called a Mamenori Maki. In the centre is tempura fried prawns. On top of the maki is crab salad with a chef’s special dressing and at the tip of the volcano right on top is flying fish roe. It’s really yummy and the tempura crunch added to the salad gives it the crunchiness. Apparently it’s a hit amongst guests and all their Japanese guests order it with whatever else they order. 

We also tasted their Sri Lankan Lobster Teppanyaki Style (Rs. 3850). It was well seasoned and brought out the natural flavour of the lobster as well. Teppanyaki is the preparation of cooking on a steel plate, which is somewhat like a grill. 

The absolutely delicious Yumi Meat Mix (Rs. 4480) was a platter of different meats which included beef, chicken, lamb and duck. Meat lovers will absolutely relish this dish. All the meats retained its own flavour while being enriched by the preparation. As at all Japanese restaurants these dishes are not necessarily for one person, but can be shared among a couple of people. 

For dessert we tried out their Homemade Green Tea Ice Cream (Rs. 625) which had a really strong green tea flavour to it. 

Then we tried out the most unusual east meets west, fusion dessert Wasabi Crème Brulee (Rs. 610) which was a first for me. When inquiring about it, I was told that this unique creation was originated by Chef Sudesh. 

The other popular dishes at Yumi are Salmon Sashimi which they specialise in, Sashimi Morriawase, a mixed platter of Sashimi which includes Salmon, Tuna, Moda, some small sweet tasting prawn and a few other types of seafood. Their mains range from Rs. 780 upwards. So one can find something delectable to fit their budget, but of course keeping in mind that Japanese cuisine is comparatively pricey. 

Service 

The service was great! The staff were very attentive and the food arrived fast. I must say that they were all very friendly, efficient and professional. Asiri who is in charge of the restaurant and an expert on Japanese cuisine answered all my questions very patiently. 

To sum it up, Yumi is a great place for a business lunch, family dinner or even a fun outing with friends. A ‘must’ visit place for lovers of Japanese cuisine. 

Photographs by Kushan Pathiraja