Zumi – Hillsboro Village
Devastated when Taste of Tokyo closed in Hillsboro Village, I’ve been waiting for another sushi/Japanese restaurant to open in this area. Little did I know that Zumi had been in the plans for a while. First off, let me state it would be unfair to compare Zumi to Taste of Tokyo on quality, ambiance and anything else really that makes for an enjoyable visit; I just use the correlation purely for the sushi connection. Zumi by far exceeds ToT in all areas, in my opinion.
Falling in line with McDougal’s, Dog of Nashville and Savarino’s Cucina, Zumi faces Belcourt Avenue just down the street from the historic Belcourt Theatre. Like most of their neighbors, they have taken advantage of the porch/patio style setup and have one of the best front porches on the street. The entire facade is sleek and trendy, perfect for this area. Upon entering the restaurant, you soon realize you are to order at the counter, much like a Pei Wei or Tossed. You can peruse the menu at hand or by the giant menu on the wall. The menu itself ranges from common Japanese appetizers like Gyoza and Edamame to fancy sushi rolls to noodle bowls and entrees. I’ve been by enough times to sample a number of their fancy rolls and highly recommend the Black & Gold Roll as well as the Spicy Tuna Roll. The Basil Mango Curry is a treat for the senses because it not only looks pretty and smells fantastic, but it has just enough bite to awaken all your tastebuds.
Prepared fresh for your order, the generous portions are delivered to your table which displays the numbered disc you were given at the register. One suggestion I’d offer to Zumi is to bring silverware/napkins, etc., to the table when delivering the food OR make it obvious that the customer needs to grab these on the way to the table. I noticed a few people get up to get these items after food was delivered and I, myself, have forgotten this once or twice. Even if the customer has already picked them up, at least have them handy in an apron or the like.
The selection of sakes was about average, although they do have a few of the lesser known kinds, like unfiltered. The prices for sake seemed a little high, but otherwise the prices seemed on par with similar style restaurants. I certainly do enjoy it enough to spend the few extra dollars and Zumi is already a favorite of mine. Especially since one of the cute workers recognizes me when I visit now. Sushi with a side of cuteness, please.
