While Chinese restaurants are a dime a dozen, finding a place in the city that takes its Japanese seriously isn’t always easy. In the maze of Pan Asian fare, many restaurants take to doing several cuisines with equal fervour and hence, not enough fervour. In the blurry haze of multi-cuisiners, we found you a spectacular space in Dhaka that treats their Sashimi and Maki like its life or death.
Umai is a contemporary Japanese cuisine restaurant situated in the heart of Gulshan. The decor is traditionally inspired by framed artworks, artistic Japanese tables and seating with warm lighting adds to the tone.
Umai acquires ingredients from all over the world and lets them shine on the plate. The highlight of the dining experience at Umai is the sushi counter, backed by a stone waterfall, where Chef Nayeem and his team can be seen slicing fresh slivers of sashimi and rolling maki rolls and placing them directly on your plate.
Our exotic culinary journey to the Land of the Rising Sun started with Maguro Kurokoshyo Salad (BDT 1050). This delicious Japanese salad is fresh, healthy and clean-tasting. Tuna fish generously with salt and pepper, then seared, and is served with sliced avocado and wasabi dressing. The delightful Salmon Tartare (BDT 850) complemented with hints of sesame, seasoned delicately and stacked with diced avocado, crispy potato and sticky rice is an amazing light and satisfying meal.
Hotate Truffle Roll (BDT 1500) with scallops, mushrooms and tempura shrimp in it makes this a mouth-watering serve. Their mixed Fried Squid and Octopus (BDT 785) seafood sizzler cooked in Umai’s secret sauce served on a hot plate is sure to tickle the taste bud of the oriental food-lover.
Marinated in miso and baked to perfection, Alaskan Black Cod with Miso (BDT 2400) is a beautiful seafood dish. The white-fleshed fish gets marinated in a sweet and savory miso marinade, then broiled until its surface caramelizes and crisps. With its delicate and buttery moist texture, the miso-glazed black Cod simply melted in my mouth. Their Lavish Bento Box (BDT 1850) is also worth trying.
In dessert section we had Coconut Kingyoku (BDT 350). This is in true sense a perfect depiction of tenderly luscious goodness of coconut which is enriched with mouth-watering flavours. The smooth creaminess of the coconut milk nurtures the coldness of the ice, giving it an astounding fusion with best possible taste. Mild sweetness of the dish was an excellent end to our gastronomic journey.
Overall, my experience at Umai turned out to be a good one. Even after binging onto some delicious Japanese dishes, I felt light and satiated, not feeling the guilt of having eaten too much. Umai is one of those Japanese eateries in Dhaka that I would personally recommend. Not only for a great food experience but also for a happy soul touch – this place is one of my favourites!
Place – Umai, House 8, Road 50, Gulshan-2, Dhaka 1212
Pocket Pinch – BDT 3500 for two (approx)
Opening Hours – 12pm to 11pm (everyday)
