Yu-Mi Sushi Bar and Grill - Chesapeake

You could easily drive by Yu-Mi without seeing it. Apparently I have been doing just that for a couple of years. Located in the corner of a fairly new and small shopping strip behind the 7-Eleven is not really a prime location, but this place is a little gem. The interior is modern and calming, combining dark woods with natural elements like river rocks and slate. The lighting is golden and low. There is a small bar that sits about 6, a sushi bar, about 6 booths and several tables. The restaurant is not large, and filled up quickly when we were there Friday evening.

I have to start out by saying that the service was excellent. Our server was Fiona, and the other waiter working also serviced our table. I wish more places had this philosophy where everyone services any table if needed. It really kicks the customer experience up a notch or two by just keeping water glasses full and dirty plates off the table.


My daughter is a big fan of dumplings, so we started out with Shumai, Shrimp dumplings. They were excellent. Slightly crispy on one side, soft on the other. They were very light, not overly filling as some dumplings can be. My husband and I ordered the Sushi and Sashimi Special, which is served with a spicy tuna appetizer. I enjoy a sushi restaurant that serves a meal in stages like this, rather than bringing it all out at once. I am usually not a spicy tuna eater, but theirs was rather mild, and I found it to be delicious!

As for the main course? It was excellent! The special comes with salads and Miso soup. The salads were a good size and used a creamy ginger dressing. The Miso soup was nothing special, but it was good. I liked all the serving dishes. They stuck with all white plates in modern shapes. They also had upgraded wooden chopsticks, not the cheap ones that can break unevenly and splinter. Their attention to little details like this impressed me, and improved the overall dining experience. The fish all tasted fresh. The clam, which can sometimes be a rubbery chew-fest, was very tender. There was a good rice to fish proportion on the sushi, and the Sashimi servings were generous. Although every booth was full, the food came out quickly. There is a kids menu containing, Chicken Teriyaki, Yaki Soba and Vegetable Tempura all served with house salad,shrimp dumpling and rice. My girl is a Sushi eater though, so we ordered a la carte pieces for her.

Our final surprise was a complementary piece of fried cheesecake. I'm not really sure why we were lucky enough to get this. I had gotten a little chatty with the server and so had my daughter. Sushi restaurants always love to see little kids eating up the food (future customers!)and my girl does not disappoint. I was skeptical of the dessert, but it was rather pretty. Upon tasting it I realized it was not greasy in the least, and the heat of cooking it melts the cheesecake a little, making it a creamy sweet delight.
Overall, Yu-Mi hit every mark. Nice ambiance, great service, good food, convenient (for me) location. Prices are in line with most other Sushi restaurants. Oh yeah, I'll definitely be back!

_Laine
Yu-Mi Sushi Bar and Grill
1320 Kempsville Rd. suite107
Chesapeake, VA 23320
ph: 548-0668