Reviews

Yume Kitchen - Japanese Food Review in Bristol

Posted on: 2017-02-21

Yume Kitchen is situated in the welcoming surroundings of Cotham Hill, just seconds from Whiteladies Road. It offers authentic Japanese dining and a great atmosphere. Bristol has embraced it and so we had to head along to check it out.

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My wife and I visited Yume Kitchen on what has become an increasingly familiar scene lately: a dark, damp and generally grim evening. Lit up like an oasis in a wet West-Country desert, Yume welcomed us with a friendly smile from the staff and a lovely atmosphere in the modestly sized dining room.

 

What first hits you is, like I say, the welcome. It is decorated lovingly in a wonderfully informal way and instantly makes you feel comfortable, though still with the sense that this is somewhere special. A ‘bubble lemonade’ known as Ramune and a selection of three glasses of sake greeted us thanks to the recommendation of our lovely hosts – recommendations would become a running theme as the evening went on.

Since this really is as traditional as you can get outside Japan I decided we would take the guidance of the waitresses and chefs as to what to choose, though with guidance from us as to what sort of thing we liked. It quickly became clear when answering their questions that the ‘guidance’ we gave them essentially amounted to not far short of ‘I will eat absolutely anything’. And so the kitchen began piecing together dishes that they thought would give a great idea of the full range of things they offer...

 

First up were Pork Gyoza (£5.50), Crispy Squid (£3.90) and Asari No Sakamushi (clams steamed in sake, £3.70). I’ve reviewed a few crispy squid/calamari dishes now, and eaten countless more, but this one was certainly the most buttery of texture rather than having just a little bite to it like a classic calamari you might know from Western cuisine. The flavour was superb. Not a lot can be done to make this sort of dish a world-beater but there are certainly many ways to ruin it and Yume steered well clear of those.

Continuing the seafood theme, the light yet beautifully perfumed broth contained a wealth of clams that were cooked perfectly - an ideal light-bite. Finally we get to what might be the dish of the evening, the Gyoza. A crisp outside to the yielding dough hid a pork centre that was perfectly balanced. Paired with the accompanying dipping sauce it was simply incredible. It’s a must-order when you inevitably check out Yume.

What greeted us next was Tori No Kurzon-An (a sweet & sour chicken and vegetable dish, £4.30) that was packed with flavour and gave a feel of a more comfortable style of ‘Asian’ cuisine for those who might not be as adventurous as their dining partners! Okonomiyaki (£3.90) was like nothing I had tasted before. Thinly sliced pork and vegetables cooked in a savoury pancake with okonomiyaki sauce and Japanese mayo was equal parts intriguing and tasty. Even now I’m struggling to figure out what to compare its taste to but it went down very well. These were served with Gokokumai (£1.30), a Japanese style multigrain rice with white rice, brown rice, black glutinous rice, millet, and quinoa that was a really great accompaniment and far more than your average rice side-dish. Pleasing on the eye too!

 

No Japanese restaurant would be complete without sushi. Yume Kitchen, as you might expect, pulls out all the stops when it comes to perhaps The Land of the Rising Sun’s most famous culinary export. The sushi menu is separate to the main dinner menu and with good reason...it’s huge.

We went with Nigiris of Tuna, Salmon, Aburi (seared salmon), Scallop and Ikura (soy marinated salmon roe). All the nigiri options are between £2.20 and £2.70, though the scallop nigiri is £3.50. This is nothing like your average supermarket offering. The rice is flavoured perfectly and is nothing but a pleasure to eat, regardless of topping. They have so many options that there should surely be something for everyone. On this occasion, all 5 were definitely for me, whilst my wife decided to steer clear of the salmon roe without trying it. Luckily that was by far my favourite.

Teamed with these was another divisive option in the form of a Soft Shell Crab Temaki Hand Roll (£4.50). The idea of eating a crab ‘whole’ isn’t for everyone but even my wife – squeamish about seafood as you can see from her reluctance with the salmon roe – has come around to soft shell crab as it’s just so good. This was a great example of it and was joined in its roll by cucumber, oshinko and a little chilli mayo.

 

The final sushi dish was the show-stopping Dragon Roll (£11.90). The eight piece long Uramaki (inside out roll) came stuffed with crispy ebi (prawn) katsu and topped with thinly sliced avocado. It made a huge statement when it was presented to us and, from the picture, I’m sure you can see why. Looking good is wonderful but this a food review, not a photography competition. It certainly delivered. It is on the lighter side and has a Western style to it, what with the crispy prawns and avocado. But good food is good food regardless of its inspiration and if you’re looking to impress someone then this or any other of the eight piece Uramaki rolls will certainly do that.

Yume Kitchen is a great place to eat for practically any occasion. On this particular evening the diners included couples and groups of friends all having a great time and contributing to the atmosphere. It was the perfect spot for a great midweek meal with my wife and I can only imagine it would be the same for lunch and on weekends. We’re definitely looking forward to going back.

 

Food: 4.5

Atmosphere: 5

Service: 5

Value: 4.5

 

For further info please visit www.yumekitchen.co.uk and keep up to date via Facebook and Twitter. Address: 9 Cotham Hill, Bristol, BS8 2AA.

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