Restaurant of the Year: Sumika

After my initial post , I've become rather smitten with Sumika - so much that I am giving it the MED Restaurant of the Year title.

Sumika has a smaller menu compared to many of the other Japanese eateries in the area, but what they do, they do well. From the chicken skewers to the mizutaki (chicken hot pot), everything is prepared with careful attention to detail. The skewers continue to be my biggest draw to the place with each piece full of tender juiciness. Head grill master, Maru-chan, times the delivery of the skewers perfectly so that no more than a few pieces are at the table, ensuring enjoyment of piping hot bites of his craft.

This sort of service and individual attention to the customers sets Sumika apart from nearly all of the other Bay Area Japanese eateries. One time, the Owner was telling me about how Maru-chan can hear when a customer drops their chopsticks on the floor. We laughed, saying how we could see that happening with his keen awareness for the dining room. Several weeks later, completely unintentionally, the Papa Bear dropped his chopsticks while seated at a dimly-lit corner seat - and viola! Maru-chan waved to us instantly and had one of the waitstaff replace Papa's chopsticks. It may sound too staged to be true - but it is, it is! 100% true story!

I have now tried most of the items on the menu, and I definitely have my favorites. The Sumika salad, which I was luke-warm about on my first visit, has since then become a must order. I prefer it to the Bird's Nest Salad, which I found the dressing to be a bit too rich for a cold salad. I should add a note here, though, that given my aversion for rich foods, I am not a good judge on these dishes; my gourmet Japanese friends have all raved about the Bird's Nest Salad, which comes with a perfectly cooked flavored soft-boiled egg.


As I mentioned earlier, I continue to be impressed by the skewers. There are no bad skewers here. All of them are hands-down excellent. Grilled to perfection where the moist meat is sweetest, dripping with delicious meatiness.

The oyako-don (eggs and chicken over rice) is purely divine if you like your eggs flavorfully medium rare. The texture is creamy while being light, bringing out the natural richness without a hint of oiliness. The amount of rice to egg is in perfect ratio to bring out the best flavors from each other - the neutrality of rice giving a strong backbone strength to the bold egg flavor.


Sumika has a number of chicken hot pots, of which we have tried two: the mizutaki and the shabu-shabu. This was the first time I have ever had chicken shabu-shabu, and this dish was a revelation. Surprisingly, the rather copious chicken skin did not have even the faintest bit of greasiness. Instead, each bite was filled with a certain fun bounce from the play of textures between the meat and the skin. I did miss a touch of kabosu or sudachi citrus in my ponzu, which I believe would have really brought out the sweetness of the meat some more - but then again, ponzu is one of those things like gravy, where everyone thinks their version is the best! The mizutaki comes with the wonderful option to order a chicken-soup porridge (zousui) at the end, prompting the customer to drink every last drip of the luscious soup.


Dimly lit with tables placed sparingly, the dining room at Sumika can feel a little stiff at first, but don't let that dissuade you from chatting with the staff. Their sake selection is excellent as well, with Urakasumi and Yowa no Tsuki being my two favorites to match their food. I often find myself craving a night at Sumika when the going gets tough at work...

...speaking of which, tomorrow is my last day at my current job!!!! I got a new job in the South Bay and I will be moving in January to San Jose!!!!!! Hopefully, my new job will not suck the life out me as this one did this past year so I can get back to some of my regular activity again in 2007 like bringing back MED from the blog death bed!

Yakitori Sumika Preview

I have a friend of a friend who is a serious gourmet. I mean, this guy is serious! I think he eats out every night for dinner. Luckily for me, I get to sneak in and read his blog from time to time to get the latest scoop on what's yummy in the Japanese food scene in the South Bay!

So, when he posted that a new yakitori shop (not Sumiya) just opened and that it was rather delicious, I had to go try. I do feel a sense of loyalty to Sumiya, since I've become quite the regular there, but heck. There's always room for more love in debauchery!

Named Sumika (House of Charcoal), the owner sometimes get criticized for its close similarity to Sumiya (Room/Shack of Charcoal), but I read on her My Mixi (Japanese version of Friendster)that it was actually a play on words - a homonym for sumika, or habitat.

My overall impression of this place was very favorable. I hesitate to say too much right now, since it's their opening month and I have only visited once. But it is definitely on my list of places to revisit.

I was less than enthusiastic about the non-chicken dishes, like the Crystal-tofu (which was definitely not made with freshly made tofu I am used to) and the overly oily salad dressing on the Sumika Salad. The Papa Bear and I exchanged looks wondering what would come next...

We were pleasantly surprised when the yakitori pieces started to arrive. The chicken thigh skewers, there main specialty, was hands-down excellent. Each piece was juicy and moist, while crisp on the edges. Each of the meat pieces are considerably larger than at Sumiya, which makes for a heftier, meatier feel for each bite. These are daring pieces - without careful attention and control of the charcoal, I can see how the inside may still be underdone while the outside is burnt. Indeed, some pieces were so juicy (and good to us Japanese), I wonder if some non-Japanese customers would be concerned about its done-ness. The tsukune chicken meat balls are more like a chicken meat stick. With less playful flavors than Sumiya, these are again, hefty, meaty power players. I could almost feel the earth the chicks kicked around before they became my dinner.

The best part of the yakitori session was that it was very well paced. We never had an excess of skewers infront of us, getting cold. It was perfectly timed to come in sets of four just as we were getting through the four we were working on. Since one of my main complaints at Sumiya is that all the skewers come at once, this was a very pleasantly paced yakitori meal, reminiscent of my experience in Nagoya.

If I were to use one word to describe Sumika, it is Solid. Solid quality, solid food, solid atmosphere. You know the kind of girl in school who always got good grades, looked nice, and said all the right things, but you weren't really good friends with and you never knew why you didn't become friends? Something about her made her less approachable - Sumika has that kind of rigidness, I think. But the quality is definitely there. And I plan to get to know them better!

Bay Area Upscale Sushi Search

With the recent departure of Chef Takahashi-san from Anzu, I am feeling a little lost as to where to get my upscale sushi fix these days... I want the best diversity, best quality, and best sake selection. I am particularly difficult to please, since I am a delicate-and sweet-fish-sushi lover, and most Bay Area joints specialize on serving fat on rice and calling it good sushi.

I had a fairly decent meal last night at Ino Sushi in the SF Japantown yesterday. I've always loved the decor of this place, since it really looks like a little sushi restaurant in one of the high-rises in a Japanese city. Even the view of the darkening evening sky through the window, framed by sliding shoji doors, reminds me of places in Nagoya.

I had an assortment of sushi at Ino, omakase-style. I told him I didn't like Big Toro (the super fatty kind) and that I like clams, mollusks, and white-fish. The miru-gai was juicy and fresh, but the torigai and hokkigai were a bit on the limp side. What surprised me was the maguro. I am usually not a fan of maguro, because it is usually flavorless, watery, and disturbingly pink. Maguro at Ino was the real deal - true Hon-maguro. Full of sweetness and deeply nourishing, I haven't had a satisfying piece of maguro like that in a while. The egg was good too - a more traditional egg preparation with ground fish.

The thing is, although there is nothing bad about Ino Sushi, but it just doesn't have the warm feeling of a relaxing meal. Sake is served room temperature in big glasses (even the lusciously delicious Kubota Manju), the chef does not engage in small talk, and the lack of any music brings a somewhat hushed whisper to our conversation. This place would benefit significantly from the presence of Japanese businessmen letting it loose to make it a little bit more lively!

But then again, maybe that's just because I just finished reading five issues of Cooking Papa comic series, where Japanese businessmen cruise around the streets of Hakata for yummy eats and comradery. Comradery is another spice to make a meal more complete - and that's one thing I feel Anzu (under ex-chef Takahashi-san) had over Ino. With all things equal, the warmth of the restaurant is still important to me.

I am still on the search - next up, Kaygetsu in Menlo Park.

Yakitori Sumiya Preview

I've been meaning to share with you some pictures and impressions of a new Yakitori (skewered and grilled chicken) shop in San Jose, but work has kept me busy, busy, busy.

All I seem to find time to do is to work, sleep, swim (I recently renewed my love for exercise in the pool), and go eat yakitori at Sumiya. I've found myself there three days in the last week. Yup, you read that right. Three days in one week...

The menu there is small, but the tsukune meat balls are superb. And the best part? All you can eat cabbage. Many restaurants don't serve enough vegetables for me (besides Hot Pot City with their all you can eat greens), but not Sumiya. They've got all you can eat cabbage. I literally turn into a little rabbit and happily much on raw cabbage.

In addition to various chicken parts (i.e. gizzard, skin, heart, liver, thigh, breast), Sumiya also serves Yakiton (non-chicken skewered and grilled items). The duck is OK, but the Beef Kalbi is tender, juicy, and full of charcoaled goodness.

Although I usually prefer my grilled items salted, I find myself liking the sauce (ta-re) version at Sumiya. I think their salt is too bitter to bring out the sweetness of the grilled goodies. Their sauce has a nice balance of sweet and savory.

Their ocha-zuke is a big two-thumbs up, made with a grilled onigiri rice ball soaked in their chicken stock. Although there is no ocha in their ochazuke, I think it's a nice finishing dish here.

I got some pictures to share, but since I went all the way to San Jose today for dinner, I won't be able to get to them tonight... Soon, soon!


5160 Moorpark Ave.
San Jose, CA 95129
(Lawrence Expwy & Moorpark Ave.)
Reservations: (408) 973-0604
Mon-Sat, 5pm - 11:30pm

Gochiso-sama, Gochi!

Japanese meals start with "Itadakimasu" (literal translation: "I am graciously accepting this") and end with "Gochisousamadeshita" ("It was a wonderful feast"). Goshisou alone is also the word for epicurean delights in general, and the word originally contained meanings of thanking the host for running around to collect the best ingredients to prepare the finest meal. In general, "Gochisousamadeshita" should only be shortened to "Gochisousama", and I remember being scolded as a child when I tried to get away with "Gochi". So when I heard of a new Japanese 'fusion tapas' restaurant opening in Cupertino named Gochi, I was a little bit skeptical as to what to expect. But when I found out that Gochi was headed by the ex-head chef of Tanto, I knew it would be a worthwhile izakaya.

Last Saturday, a bunch of us made the trek down to Cupertino. Gochi is conveniently located next to a karaoke place we like to frequent, so we spent some time at Gamba Karaoke for a pre-dinner vocal workout. Karaoke before dinner - how reminiscent of my teenage days in Japan!

With hungry appetites, we walked into Gochi to find a very pleasant dining room with a tatami seats with hori-gotatsu (where you can put your feet under the table, even though it looks like tatami seating). They'd obviously put quite a bit of effort and thought into the design of the dining room. It was welcoming with warm tones and bright with light wood paneling. I noticed some not-so-nice regular table seating by the bathroom for two-person seating - I'll be calling ahead to specify that I don't want those tables!

The drink menu at Gochi is far more extensive than many other Japanese restaurants. There's soju (shochu), distilled alcohol made from potatoes, in addition to the usual sake and beer offerings. Three of us polished off two of these $70 soju bottles, or I should say the two bottles finished us off! The dinner menu offered a dizzying array of dishes that all sounded very good. Some of the old favorites from Tanto were there along with totally new creations.


I never thought I'd find namako-su in the Bay Area, but this sea cucumber (namako) slices in ponzu sauce was delicious. My grandfather used to love this, and boy, does it go dangerously well with my soju! Gochi's ponzu was very good without being too tangy or edgy. It was a calm, nourishing sourness that highlighted the flavors of the ocean from the seaweed and the namako.


This anago-meshi was a very good deal with a huge claypot of rice for ~$12. The anago wasn't quite the quality of anago one would find at a sushi restaurant, but nonetheless, the seasoning on the anago and the rice made this dish definitely worth trying. I noticed they had several other kinds of claypot rice dishes, so I'll likely get something else.


This fried eggplant was stuffed with shrimp and dressed in a sweet, soy-sauce caramel. It reminded me of Daigaku Imo (College Potato), the Japanified Chinese treat of sweet potatoes fried and coated with hardened sugar syrup (which we call 'ame' or candy). Since everything else was savory, the combination of the sweet and savory flavors in my mouth was pleasurably exciting.


And since I am becoming more and more like my grandfather these days, I had to get this satoimo (taro-like potato) dish. These sticky, gooey potatoes are naturally bite-size and they absorb the soup they get cooked in so very well. Each bite sends umami-powered savory dashi into my mouth followed by the stickiness of the potato bringing with it a delicate sweetness of the potato flesh. The bonito flakes (the wood-shaving like strips) was a little over-powering, so I ate around the bonito flakes.

Overall, Gochi was a solid performer. I'd ranked in the Top Five izakayas in the Bay Area. It reminded me very much of Tanto when it was still at the old Santa Clara location. The decor might be too fancy for the Japanese (oyaji) businessmen crowd that use to fill the tables at the Santa Clara location, but in exchange, I'm sure they'll pick up some more non-Japanese clientele. Prices were good as an izakaya with each dish ranging between $5 and $15. They are a very welcome addition to the family of izakayas... speaking of which, I am thinking about organizing a Battle of the Izakaya in the Dim Sum battle format. Contenders will be Tanto (Saratoga), Saizo, Yumeya, Gochi. Let me know if you're interested!

www.gochifusiontapas.com
19980 Homestead Rd
Cupertino, CA 95014
(408) 725-0542

Youthful Gyoza at Hana

Another Halloween has come and gone and I didn't get around to uploading the ninjyas. Oh well. Maybe next year...

Today is a post about my favorite quick meal - boiled (ex-frozen) dumplings from Gyoza no Hana in San Jose! These are so easy and so yummy, they make for perfect weekend brunches or even weekday breakfasts when I don't blog in the morning.



Literally, all you have to do is dump them into boiling water, wait for the water to come to a boil, add 10 oz of cold water, let it come back to a boil, add another 10 oz of cold water and when the water comes back to a boil, the gyoza are done! They skin never rips (except for the one time the Papa Bear tried to make them) and the skin is deliciously smooth and thick without being doughy. The pork dumplings ooze with piping hot juice (much more than the XLB from Koi Palace!) and the vegetable dumplings provide an array of textures as mushrooms, thin bean noodles, Japanese cabbage, and other goodies chopped into nanoscale bits fall apart loosely in my mouth.


Hana provides dipping sauces, but I prefer to eat my dumplings with ponzu and a super hot red pepper. I can literally eat these in the dozens. I love the feeling of the dough slipping around on my tongue and how it resists my bite with just enough texture to be pleasurable. I much prefer my dumplings boiled over fried for this exact reason. Boiled dumplings have that luscious, smooth skin that we all lust after as we get older and start losing that elastic youth in our skin. I can totally understand those May-December relationships after enjoying my boiled dumpling meal!

A Dreamy First Impression: Yumeya

It is very, very rare that I talk about a restaurant that I've only been to once on the blog. Sometimes, first impressions are tricky, since too often, I've been disappointed or delightfully surprised on a second visit. But today, I feel a burning desire to talk about my dinner last night even though that was my first visit to the new Japanese izakaya-style restaurant in Sunnyvale, Yumeya (or Yume-ya).

I found myself repeatedly saying, "I was so impressed with Yume-ya last night!" over and over again this morning. Watch out, Tanto and Saizo, there is a new Dream Come True (yume in Japanese) in town for us Japanese izakaya fans!

The decor at Yume-ya is nothing fancy at all. In fact, when I saw the place, I was hesitant to come in, since it looked so sketchy. But when I saw the menu, I was definitely intrigued and excited about eating here. The dishes were innovative with wonderful variation. Dishes covering a range of grilled, fried, fresh, and boiled could be found for savory, sour, and sweet in many different combinations.

We tried a wide variety of dishes, of which none were disappointing. Although everything was uniformly good, there were some standouts that were prepared with very delicate attention to detail and flavor. I was a big fan of the tsukune meatballs which came as one of the three skewers of the yakitori order. I also really liked the flash-fried sato imo (sticky, taro-like potato) soaked in a strong dashi broth.

The portion sizes were perfectly calculated for the diners to want just a little more - a common problem with places like Tanto these days has been that by the time you're done with the dishes, you're so sick of the flavors that you don't feel like coming back for more for a while! Instead, Yume-ya's smaller portions left you wanting more each bit. It definitely had the draw power to make me want to come back again soon.

The delightfully surprising thing was how affordable dinner here ended up being! Four hungry people with approximately 1 liter of sake (consumed by ...me alone) ended up being $100 or so before tip and tax - much better cost performance than ANY of the good local Japanese restaurants. The sake menu is moderately priced - and a little bit tricky. I saw a sake titled, "Kyoto-style Special Junmai", and since I'm a Kyotophile and I like junmai (pure-rice) sake, I decided to give it a try. I liked it quite a bit, since it was crisp and clear with just enough kick to go well with food...until I saw the bottle. Well, the bottle said in big letters, "SHOCHIKUBAI". ...I felt like I had gone to a blind taste test for French Fries, choosing the crispiest, perfectly salted fries, only to find out they were from MacDonalds. Or going to a blind beer tasting with lots of good local microbrews and choosing a Michelob Special as my favorite. Shochikubai?! What's wrong with me?!

Anyway, the only other potentially bad part of Yumeya is that their Today's Specials menu is only in Japanese. I'm not sure how to get around the ordering issue if you couldn't read the white board or the printed menu. Heck, they almost didn't give me the Japanese menu - which would have resulted in me never coming back! The English menu was boring and if anything, centered on sushi, which was not mentioned once in the Japanese menu. Because of that, I didn't try the sushi, but maybe one of these days I'll get adventurous.

Next time, I'll take pictures! This place is definitely blog-worthy!

Yume-ya
150 El Camino Real
Sunnyvale, CA
408-530-8156
5:30 PM-11:00 PM
Closed Sundays