Print Article
A bamboo fence stretching the length of the windows prohibits sidewalk passersby from having a peak at the dining space, and I’d walked by many a time wondering what lay behind the screen. This element of secrecy heightened my curiosity, and the atmosphere confirmed my suspicions – subdued lighting, Asian décor in warm, natural tones. I especially appreciate that diners can sit at the sushi bar and that it is partitioned off from the main dining area by bamboo Roman shades – a particularly clever use of a small space. The bar is flanked by statues of the namesake sumo wrestlers who looked like they’d enjoyed a few pots of chankonabe in their day.
As soon as we were seated, one of the two waitresses who attended our table presented us with a ridiculous number of menus. I believe there were something like ten pieces of paper floating around our small table for four, not to mention the daily specials listed on a whiteboard near the entrance. We were glad the servers allowed us time to shuffle through all the options and get our bearings before asking if we had any questions and taking our orders.
I ordered a bottle of Kirin Ichiban, a Japanese rice lager that is a standard at most Japanese restaurants in the States. It’s not a beer I would buy to bring home and savor, but I have yet to find a wine that I enjoy drinking with sushi and sake makes me nauseous (drank too many cheap versions from the 7-11 down the street when I lived in Kobe - oops). And, I do like Kirin Ichiban better than Asahi or Sapporo, the other big-name offerings you’ll find on Japanese menus. It doesn’t leave you with much of an aftertaste, just cleanses the palate with a crisp, dry finish… and goes really well with salty edamame. (Image from kirin.com)
My sushi expert friends Jenn and Adam went all out on the rolls. From the standard sushi menu, they ordered (clockwise from top left in photo) rainbow rolls (California rolls with tuna, salmon, whitefish, and avocado on the outside); crazy rolls (shrimp tempura with smoked salmon on top and eel sauce); Boston rolls (shrimp, lettuce, and mayo); and tuna rolls. They were pleased with their choices and I was particularly impressed by the large piece of tuna in the tuna rolls – not a dinky pink speck you often get at many sushi joints.
They also chose two items from the specialty sushi menu. All the sushi we ordered from the specialty menu was served on a bed of spicy mayo and nitsume (sweet eel sauce). Typically restaurants do this to cover up the taste of less-than-fresh fish, but the quality of fish is high at Sumo Sushi. If you’re not a big fan of the spicy/sweet sauces, you’d do well to request your sushi without them. The caterpillar roll consisted of shrimp tempura with spicy salmon and avocado on top.
And, the mini me was a tempura sushi filled with crab and shrimp and topped with roe. I had never before tried tempura sushi and think it might get a laugh in Japan, but being the fried-food-loving, spicy-mayo-guzzling American I am, I really enjoyed it.
Phil ordered the bento box so he could taste a variety of offerings. It included shrimp and vegetable tempura, fried gyoza, California rolls, and tuna, salmon, and yellowtail sashimi. The bento was a belly-buster and Phil enjoyed all of the items, particularly the tempura.
In Japan, I developed a craving for noodles of all sorts – rich wintry ramen, cold summery soba, and especially fat messy slurpy udon (thick wheat-flour noodles). Most of your run-of-the-mill Japanese places leave noodles off the menu, so I was very happy to see tempura udon on the menu at Sumo. The noodles were swimming in a rich broth with mushrooms, broccoli, and squash, and the shrimp tempura was served on the side so it didn’t get soggy in the soup. In my mind, the Japanese are masters at deep frying and the delicate, airy tempura coating on the shrimp further confirmed this theory of mine. I am sure this will become my go-to takeout dish!
I also ordered the Godzilla roll, and the waitress told me it was her favorite roll on the menu and an excellent choice. Well, it certainly was a treat, as much for the taste as for the creative presentation. The lobster and spicy crab rolls were topped with unagi (barbecued eel) and shaped like a killer lizard. Cool!
I especially enjoyed the rings of octopus the sushi chef used for eyes.
As you can imagine, we were stuffed once we finished all this food and couldn’t even fathom dessert. The waitstaff presented us with complementary orange segments when they brought the bill – such a nice touch and a perfect way to end the meal.
Sumo Sushi is an excellent neighborhood sushi restaurant and is one more reason I love Riverside. The atmosphere is cozy and warm, the fish is fresh, and the presentations are thoughtful and creative… certainly a step above the average joint. I look forward to returning!
Sumo Sushi
2726 Park Street, Jacksonville, FL
904.388.8838
Cari Sánchez-Potter is an American with a Masters degree in Gastronomy from the University of Adelaide/ Le Cordon Bleu in South Australia. She grew up in the small town of Salem, Ohio and since 2000 has lived in Argentina, Spanish Basque Country, Japan, Australia, Switzerland, Boston, and Florida. Learning about people and cultures through their foodways is her passion, and She has been fortunate to live in places with some of the best food cultures in the world. Currently eating my way through Jacksonville, Florida and the American South.
She also has a brilliant blog which you can follow here: http://www.cari-vicarious.com/
Share this article
RSS
Fallen Buckeye
June 18, 2010, 11:22:22 AMI like it too.
Kay
June 18, 2010, 12:05:34 PMThe locals call this area Park and King, not the King Street district.
Captain Zissou
June 18, 2010, 12:07:10 PMIt's my favorite in the area and the city as a whole. I haven't been there in a month, unfortunately. Next time you go, order the Victoria Secrete roll, a local favorite.
stephendare
June 18, 2010, 12:13:01 PMThats true Kay, and Sumo is actually on Park. But they really are near a common King street strip. And the possibilities for extending a retail district much further than it already has along Park are limited (residents, doctors offices). Plus its kind of redundant to say park and king, post and king and king street district.
not disagreeing with you because obviously you know what the hell you are talking about, just explaining the reasons behind the nomenclature choice.
ChriswUfGator
June 18, 2010, 12:49:37 PMIn fairness we never had enough stuff there to make a "district" before. But if everything that's currently open stays open, and those things that are under construction come online, then yeah I'd say it's becoming its own district. A couple years ago, it was just park place, a bank, the pharmacy, a bunch of empty storefronts, and a citgo station.
Now it's kickback's, the loft, walker's, park place, the rogue, the copy store, the sushi place, prima piatti, jackson's, and a couple others I'm probably forgetting. There are a bunch of new bars and restaurants now, it's changed bigtime. It's getting hard to get a parking spot on King anymore, which actually makes me happy.
Kay
June 18, 2010, 03:33:24 PMYou're right. It is amazing how much is there from just a few years ago. Wonder if it can be attributed to the Town Center project?
ben says
June 18, 2010, 05:49:45 PMI used to agree--Sumo Sushi was the best in Jax. Went there every week for fresh fish and vegetables.
Unfortunately, they changed owners, and the quality and service has gone downhill dramatically.
Just look at their after dinner fruit for proof. They used to serve a sliced up orange with the check--now it's canned pineapple and passion fruit that's clearly been sitting out all day.
The new owners said the old owners moved to Orlando to open up another Sumo.....weak!
Epicurean
June 18, 2010, 06:15:21 PMI would call the micro-area Whiteway or the Park and King area.
thelakelander
June 18, 2010, 06:41:13 PMI don't think so. The Town Center project was completed a few years ago. Like DT's East Bay area, I think what's happening now has more to do with the economic climate (fall in real estate and construction costs, etc.) making it more feasible to for locals to invest in start up businesses.
riverside_mail
June 18, 2010, 09:43:18 PMNever been to Sumo, but I have been to Sake House. I'm not that big on sushi, but I do enjoy their Mexican roll. The staff is very friendly and attentive, and decent lunch portions gets Sake House the Riverside Mailmen seal of approval.
ChriswUfGator
June 19, 2010, 04:06:01 PMI wouldn't call it a micro-area, I'd call it a district. Land-wise it's larger than the area we call the "5 Points district".
fieldafm
June 21, 2010, 03:55:26 PMI had always gone to Sake House and Sushi Cafe just b/c of their locations(the sushi is kind of a by-product to being able to sit outside in two of the most vibrant corners in town, its serviceable just not spectacular which is ok because you are able to enjoy a nice night sitting outside). I was turned on to Sumo by a friend and fellow Riverside/Avondale socialite. Sumo is by far the best sushi in the neighborhood, and the service has always been great(which is becoming more of lost art in the restaurant business in town).
Nice review!
jacksonvilleconfidential
July 07, 2010, 04:47:45 PMI totally concur.
sky
July 25, 2010, 11:34:59 PMRockStar
July 26, 2010, 12:05:16 AMBrian Siebenschuh
July 26, 2010, 02:38:57 AMI look forward to your future contributions to discussions on this website.
ChriswUfGator
July 26, 2010, 08:23:30 AMROFL...
Can I make a suggestion? You guys need to shut that back screen door at Sumo so the flies stop getting in.
Jaxson
July 26, 2010, 08:35:31 AMWe need more sushi places in Riverside-Avondale. ; )
jacksonvilleconfidential
August 05, 2010, 04:30:07 PMYour wish has been granted. You have two more.
http://www.jacksonvilleconfidential.com/2010/08/yoshi-sushi.html
Garden guy
August 31, 2010, 06:45:27 AMSumo..oh no...I got sick from there a few weeks ago...oh my it was awful...2 Dr's. visits....they had no comment on my call...also..i was behind their building one day and say them actually preparing food on a platter that was on top of a garbage can that was almost out of the back door in the allyway..i won't be going back...I"m going back to our regular place..."sake house"...
fieldafm
September 16, 2010, 08:53:50 PMLooks like Yoshi Sushi is closed now too.
steven
September 19, 2010, 03:12:26 AMAre you from sake house?
ChriswUfGator
September 19, 2010, 10:50:19 AM?
JaxDiablo
September 20, 2010, 11:26:50 AMBewler
February 18, 2011, 12:47:34 PMEverything you say is terrible, Garden Guy. Sumo trumps all sushi places.