A Culinary Discovery at UMAI

The art of delicious cooking will never fade away! There will always be a place that appreciates it, and the biggest beneficiaries are definitely us foodies. This evening, I revisited my favorite UMAI with friends to savor the exquisite skills of a well-known tempura chef in town. The familiar tempura section of UMAI greeted us again, but with a new head chef at the helm, I was super excited for the new culinary delights of the night. The essential grated radish and rock salt for tempura were ready! Our spectacular dinner officially began. Meet the new Japanese head chef, Yoshimi Sawazaki! Fans of tempura will surely recognize him, and it was a privilege to taste the tempura he personally crafted tonight. The appetizer was a beautifully presented minced tuna belly! Served in a crispy tempura vessel with fresh minced tuna belly, accompanied by shiso flowers, green onions, and seaweed, the flavor was exquisite. Following that, the small basket contained the uniquely textured sesame tofu, savory and plump fluorescent squid, and the full-flavored fried corn balls. The appetizers were so impressive that I was even more excited for the upcoming tempura. The chef was already preparing the tempura ingredients! Being able to watch his skills up close was wonderful. Cottonseed oil was used for the tempura, which has a stable flavor and doesn't mask the food's natural taste, and it has a low smoke point, so I didn't smell like food after dinner. The first piece we received was a large leaf cutlassfish from Kanagawa! The tempura batter was super thin and crispy, and the thick cutlassfish paired with the aroma of shiso leaves was harmonious. Next up was the patterned squid from the Seto Inland Sea! The squid was plump and thick, wrapped in a thin batter, and the chewy texture and freshness were a delight to the palate. The umami didn't stop there; we were greeted with a tilefish from Ehime presented with its scales standing up! The three-dimensional and layered appearance was as delicate as a blooming flower, with scales fried to a crisp like chips, complemented by the tender fish meat – absolutely no complaints about this tilefish. The fourth tempura piece showcased the chef's true skill! He used baby corn with connected husks from Aichi Prefecture, creating a stunning shape as if by magic. Don't be fooled by the serious faces of the chefs at work! They also have a very cute and quirky side. Receiving this blooming cornflower from the chef felt like receiving a surprise bouquet, and besides its beautiful appearance, it tasted incredibly sweet. The maitake mushroom from Nagano was rich in flavor, and frying it brought out its exceptional aroma, while the moisture inside was perfectly preserved, proving the chef's impeccable skill. At this moment, the chefs prepared a clear soup for us, using plump clams from Chiba to create a very flavorful broth. Drinking this hot soup was very warming to the stomach. Continuing our tempura journey, the chef was preparing live shrimp with sea urchin. The freshly taken out live shrimp was fried to a perfect crisp, topped with fresh sea urchin, adding an extra layer of freshness, and the best part was that even the shrimp heads could be enjoyed directly – amazing. Next, we were to taste the chef's signature live young ayu fish! The chef deliberately preserved the fish's graceful water posture, and the appearance was a feast for the eyes. The flesh was delicate, and without any additional seasoning, the natural sweet flavor of the ayu was evident. The chef presented me with white asparagus from Hokkaido! Turned into tempura, the white asparagus had an added crispy texture on the outside, while the inside was sweet and juicy. The eel from Kagoshima might not look impressive, but the taste was a surprise, with a rich flavor. The sweet eel was tightly embraced by a batter soaked in eel sauce, garnished with a touch of Japanese mustard, creating an astonishing taste – arguably the most delicious eel dish I've ever had. Finally, we had a tempura tea to end this tempura feast! The playful chef suddenly tossed a heart, luckily I caught it, haha. The tempura made from scallops and sakura shrimp placed on rice, topped with seaweed strips and mustard, then drizzled with hot bonito broth, was so delicious that I couldn't resist finishing it all, even though I was already full. For those who don't fancy tempura tea, you can opt for a tempura bowl instead. Lastly, we were treated to sweet melon from the chef's hometown of Shizuoka, fragrant and juicy – Japanese melon is always so delightful. Lunch sets range from $380 to $580 per person, and dinner from $780 to $980 per person. With limited seating, remember to call the restaurant in advance to reserve.