Roxana Garmendia
Japanese restaurants are sprawling all around town. Their minimalistic décor and appealing food options seem to be attracting more and more hungry clients. And it is not only about how many makis one can eat, but rather how tasty they can be. In Yume, they know this very well as each dish we tasted was better than the previous one. It was a non-stop display of fresh, well accomplished creative dishes, with the right textures and tastes.
We started with a ‘Tiradito Tako Chalaco’(s./30), thin layered octopus pieces flambéed with BBQ and ponzu sauces -the latter, a citrus-based sauce commonly used in Japanese cuisines, topped with finely chopped onions, bits of coriander and hot chili peppers. The dish was incredibly refreshing and very tasty; quite a start for our culinary experience in this oriental restaurant.
(Photo: Marco Simola/Living in Peru)
We then tried a popular dish among Yume’s clients: the ‘Taco Katsuo’ (s./ 24). In a plate, three deep-fried shell tacos came along; each filled in with avocado cream, chopped tomatoes, onions, and topped with sprouts. For someone who does not like avocados, I must say that this was a big surprise as I enjoyed every single bit of the tacos; crunchy on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside. I found this plate not only tasty but certainly original just as the ‘Pizza Japo’ (s./ 21) which we will try another time.
We did try the Gyozas (s./ 24) -the Japanese dumplings-. They were seven pieces of slightly fried dumplings filled in with pork and finely chopped vegetables. As you would introduce each piece into your mouth you could feel the tenderness of the dough, the delicate and tasty flavors of the filling, and the crunchiness of its outer layer; a real pleasure to your taste buds.
(Photo: Marco Simola/Living in Peru)
We had to try the ‘Yume Wings’ (s./ 24) considering the dish bore the name of the restaurant. Six fair-sized chicken wings made their appearance along with a BBQ-strawberry sauce on the side. Once again, the perfect mix of crunchiness and tenderness made its way as we devoured each of the pieces. They were so tasty that they did not require any sauce at all, simply delicious.
And then it was time for the sushis *. We tried the *’Sweet Salmon’ sushi with cheese cream and anguila sauce topped with a good-sized piece of fresh salmon that was amazing. We had the ‘Shiromi Pop’ with the catch of the day covered with quinoa pop and bathed in oyster sauce and tiger’s milk, fresh and tasty as it could be. A third sushi was the ‘Tuna Power’, with tuna fish bathed in a BBQ sauce and topped with finely chopped onions and hot red chili peppers that were a dream. The last one was the ‘Conchitas Parme’. Although not a fan of sea shells, this sushi melted in my mouth as it was an explosion of soft and delicate flavors to which the abundant Parmigiano certainly played a role. Yume being a sushi bar has altogether 18 types of sushis, including a veggie version which I am already looking forward to trying on the next visit.
We tried a couple of makis: the* Parri – ebi furai* with creamy cheese, tuna fish, cooked to perfection asparagus on top and bathed in a chimichurri sauce, simply wonderful. We also had the ‘Karami’ which had ebi furai, avocado cream, spicy octopus, Parmigiano cheese and topped with a sweet sauce that made it unbelievably delicious.
Our last dish was a ‘Donburi’ (s./ 28), a rice bowl with small pieces of pork that did not carry me away I must say. Yume offers quite a few other hot dishes, including yakitoris (skewers), yasaitames (wok-based sautees), chicken or meat katsus (breaded deep-fried Japanese style) to name a few. If undecided, you can have one of the ‘Setos’ (s/. 52- 99), platters that carry a variety of sushis, sashimis, and makis.
(Photo: Marco Simola/Living in Peru)
And if you think it is only good food that you will find here, you are wrong, as to our surprise, the drinks were just as good. Do not miss the ‘Piscoco´ (s./ 17), a deliciously creamy pisco drink -my favorite-, the ‘Peruanísimo’ (s./ 18) -a chicha-based pisco drink, and the ‘Chilcano de tamarindo’ (s./ 18), refreshing and just as good as the other two. Note that they also sell Japanese beers along with some local ones. If you want to keep away from alcohol, try the ‘Mint lemonade’ (s./ 9) which was delicious.
Yume deserves more than one visit and the risks of becoming addictive are high. Prices are fair and considering the quality and portions it presents; it is certainly a fabulous deal, one that you will go back to over and over again. They do delivery but only in Surco.
*Yume Sushi Bar
Av Benavides 4893 Surco, Tel. 962 389 728
www.yume.pe*
Hours of Attention
Tuesday to Saturday 12:30 – 15:30, 19:00 -23:00, Sunday 13:00 – 16:00
(Monday closed)
Prices
Nigiri sushis – s/ 12 (2 pieces)
Sashimis s/. 11-42
Makis s./ 16-(5 pieces) s./ 28 (10 pieces)
Salads s./ 14-19
Hot dishes – s./ 24- 28
Setos – s./ 52 99
Beer and cocktails s/ 9 – 18