Review: Umi, Edinburgh

I’D NEVER HEARD of Umi in Stockbridge. It was totally new to me, but we were in the area and fancied some Japanese grub. Located beneath Ping On Chinese, research informed me that it’s under the umbrella of the group behind Bentoya on Bread Street and Kenji on St. Stephen Street, whom my barber Paul, whose shop lies over the road, told me is worth checking out.  I wouldn’t say I’m a massive lover of Japanese food, so let’s see how this one transpires.

First impressions were positive as I liked the relaxed interior and our greeter was super friendly. We passed a window into the kitchen en route to our seat where I noticed several induction cookers with big stock pots gently bubbling away. Promising sign.

The menu is slightly more out there than your usual Japanese joints (Western ones at least) with options of Teriyaki foie gras and a twist on the classic fish finger to name but a couple. It was an ideal sharing menu, so we’d test the water with a few dishes then go back if we see fit, or still had room as it would turn out.

From the small plates section, we opted for the Karage fried chicken with lemon and mayo (£4.90), tempura prawns (£8.90) and the mandatory portion of gyoza, chicken and vegetable (£4.50) in this instance.

The prawns were a fine introduction to Umi. Light, crispy coating with sweet meat inside that melted on your tongue. The fried chicken looked a little sad on initial inspection but turned out to be very flavoursome with the tastier thigh meat used as opposed to boring breast. The citrus from the mayo made it even more interesting. The gyoza had an authentic crispy exterior and were boosted by a soft filling tinged with coriander and a zingy, fiery dipping sauce.

Impressed, we proceeded to chow down on yellow tail sushi with jalapeno (£5.40), grilled teriyaki salmon and avocado maki (£5.90) and crunchy soy roll (£9.90).

A thick slice of raw tuna was draped elegantly over a quenelle of sushi rice. It was so buttery and delicate I could have scoffed a plate of it. A dollop of mango puree just ensured that the jalapeno taste was there, without overpowering the beautiful fish.

The portion of maki was humongous and, although it looked a little scraggly, were rather tasty. The contrast of the warm, rich salmon with the cooling avocado and nuttiness of the rice was divine. The toasted sesame seeds sprinkled over the top were the real star.

The crunchy soy sushi roll was impressive. The sweetness and texture from the tempura prawn was evident and the eel sauce added a big umami hit. Anything with crispy onions tastes good in my opinion, and the crunch and whack of onion flavour made this a popular dish.

For no other reason than pure greed and the fact I wanted to taste what was in those stock pots, I had to order the crazy tonkutsu ramen which would set us back £10.50. This was delicious. The broth was full bodied and almost creamy. The meat was so tender I’m surprised it was still in once piece. The homemade noodles were well made and still with a slight bite to them, whilst crispy leeks added more crunch and sharpness. The boiled egg brought body and wasn’t as odd as I thought it would be.
The ‘crazy’ part was the addition of chilli and if I had to order it again, I would go for the traditional version as I just felt the heat dominated the aftertaste, but if you like a bit of kick, it was still a great plate of food; I was just far too full to polish it off.

To conclude, this was a very satisfying meal. The menu offered a comprehensive Japanese experience and was executed well, with some finely balanced flavour profiles skilfully handled. The overall vibe of the place certainly added to the dining experience. With food like this, I might be converted into a Japanese food lover yet.


Web:umiedinburgh.com
Phone:(0131) 343 6991

Address: 18-24 Deanhaugh Street, Stockbridge, Edinburgh, EH3 1LY

Opening hours: Tues - Weds 17:00 -  22:00
                          Thurs 17:00 - 22:30
                           Fri - Sat 12:00 - 23:00
                           Sun 12:00 - 22:30