Sumi's - Bend Oregon
Sumi's Japanese Restaurant
The wife and I have been dying to get over to Sumi's Japanese Restaurant which is located in the old Zucca / Mercury Diner building. Sumi used to own Kushinbo Kitchen downtown and has now opened up a more formal restaurant with metal utensils. We love Japanese food and were excited to see that there will finally be something good in that building.
We made it for lunch a couple weeks ago and got a chance to talk to Sumi about the big change from downtown to College Way. She talked about the soft opening and the pains of getting everything up and running. So if you visited early on and thought the service was lacking, give em another chance as they have been working hard to work out the kinks.
The menu items at Sumi's are pretty much the same as they were at Kushinbo's but twice as expensive. Plus now there is a make your own sushi rolls menu, sides, and appetizers. We tried the edemame (or boiled soy beans), oshitashi (spinach salad), and the agedofu (fried tofu). The appetizers were fairly small but were delicious (aside from the boiled soy beans which are never good).
We also decided on a sushi roll. You get to choose the ingredients you want from the menu. I'm not sure how I feel about this. Maybe its a good idea but I'd also prefer to have some recommended rolls on the menu that have all the tried and tested combinations. We went with some Unagi (eel) and avocado and some other stuff I can't remember.
It was good but damn if $9.50 ain't insanely expensive for six pieces, four of which were paper thin.
The wife got the Tonkatsu Donburi which was amazingly good. The Yakisoba was excellent but again, I have to mention the price. What I used to pay $7 for is now $12.95. Of course now I get to sit in a nice restaurant with great service, and drink liquor! Sumi's does have a full bar which is a huge improvement. I went for my beverage of choice for Japanese Cuisine, the Hot Sake.
Sumi's is good and as they get more and more help, its just going to get better. All in all, its great food and I will definitely go back...or at least I'll get some dishes to go.
Neat little tidbit about the new logo for Sumi's, the Hiragana reads Kushinbo...at least according to the wife...she thinks she's soooo cool.
Sumi's Japanese Restaurant
1444 NW College Way, Suite 1
Bend Oregon
http://www.sumisrestaurant.com/
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Dear Bend Oregon Restaurants,
Here, here. My hubby and I agree. It is SOOOO nice to have a Bento place in Bend (again), so Sumi's is welcomed and needed. BUT Sumi asks for a lot of clams. Others that I've talked to, who have also tried it, think the same, BOR. Sumi's is pricey. If I get a lot of meat and fresh veggies in good quantities, or if the quality is high end (i.e. Masu in Portland, or Wasabi Bistro in Seattle), I feel better paying more for standard Bento fair. But, oh, Sumi...
I had the chicken yakisoba, my husband and I shared the tekka maki and spicy tuna rolls, had some (delicious) unfiltered saki (cold, I might add - saucy), and we even ordered the sunomono (sweet vinegar soaked cucumber salad) and miso soup. My husband had tankatsu for his entree.
Everything was delicious. The portions and quality did not warrant the prices, though. The service was great, too. But, the prices. Oh, Sumi, please hear our cry.
Sumi's is close to the house, and I dropped by there to grab dinner take-out on the way home. Just somkething to keep in mind ... they (at least for now) only offer their lunch menu for take-out. No appetizers, and no tankatsu! Basically, if you want to do take-out for dinner, it's like going to the old downtown place again. Took a while too, but was that same familiar yakisoba.
Had a wonderful dinner there last week as well. I have to say I was a little confused by the menu or our choices and feel like things are a little all over the place - some apps, so of these traditional dishes, and just a taste of sushi.
We had one of the choose your own rolls and few other items. In the end our bill was high and I was still a little hungry. I guess we were hoping you would get a little more of each portion for the price and did not want to spend an arm and a leg!
We do plan to go back and support Sumi, but am hoping there will be some changes to the menu or portions.
Went there last night (monday). Was pretty dead. Staff was pleasant and very nice to our 9 mos old. Drinks were good. Menu was a bit strange. Not a lot to choose from on the sushi menu. salmon nigiri was a bit warm and mushy. rolls were a little below average. Not a lot of flavor. for 80 bucks, probably wouldn't go back.
I used to frequent Sumi's restaurant downtown Bend, and loved it. Sumi has always been such a friendly, upbeat person.
I was eager to try Sumi's new restaurant on Newport Ave.
My first reaction from walking in the door was "Incredible!"
The ambiance is very nice.
I thought I'd order what I used to order all the time: "Chicken Yakisoba," and it was delicious!
Thanks Sumi for running such a wonderful Japanese restaurant here in Bend... I look forward to many more meals there.
David W. Hart
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