Umu

I had dinner again at Umu, and it confirmed my opinion: very average. Nice setup, extensive sake list, but sushis are so so. The traditional ones are ok, but not fantastic. The modern ones are disappointing. In particular, never order fois gras sushis or aburis, they arrive cold on your dish (even if at sushi bar). Starters are fine, but nothing fantastic. Main courses vary in quality.

When I mentioned to the manager that I thought the dinner tonight was so so, he asked whether it was because I had to pay the bill !! Poor guy... I have been to places in Japan where the bill was a multiple of Umu's, and the food was much better. I also have been to places in London for a fraction of Umu's, and the food was also much better. Honestly, I think Kiku next door is less posh, but much better food quality.
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Francois Lhabitant - View all reviews by this user
3 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 0
Friday, December 02, 2011

I went to Umu at 18:00 being the first customers in the restaurant. The service was so slow 20 min between dishes, portion really small. I think UMU is so overrated and wonder what the 1 star stands for????

I found 2 pieces of crab shell in my modern sushi set and it had no flavour. It looked heartlessly presented. I can not even remember much about what I had as it was not tasting unique in any way. I have eaten in japan many times and find umu a very bad representation of kyoto cuisine.

The atmosphere was really unpleasant thats why we just wanted the dishes to come so we could leave. The waiters are really impersonal efficient but failing to show any passion for what they are serving. A waiter came to our table several times and he was so dry so unpleasant he was so stuck up and unfriendly. Chefs on the sushi counter look unfriendly too except the head chef he had a nice feeling about him however that is not enough to make up for the rest of the brigade that seem uptight pushy and fed up.

Wine or Sake....staff seem really disappointed with you if you dont want to order expensive stuff. They are far too pushy!!!!! Same in the Greenhouse. Wine Wine Wine...please leave us alone with that, I came here to try the food not to get drunk.

Umu think they have the best sashimi and sushi but I beg to differ. Dinings for example is better for me in terms of sushi.

The customers in UMU seem stuffy and show off in a I am better then you kind of way. Not sexy at all. It seemed to me there are a lot of certain ladys who date men who are rich, old and ......

Finally our dessert 2 and a half hours later wich was pea puree with sugar a white block apparently tofu with a jelly that taste of nothing. What a flop.

The meal was not even 50/50 some good some bad. The only good dish was sushi wrapped in a bamboo leaf.

Value for money.....crazy prizes for nothing much lucky I had a big lunch.

I cant wait for a real good japanese that serves tasty kaiseki here in london.
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uma
0 Overall rating
Food 1 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Going out to a restaurant with such a good reputation for people like us of relatively modest means was quite a stretch. I had read up on it before going and did not doubt that it was likely to be like entering another world, and it was.

For the first-timer at a Japanese restaurant of the highest caliber, this was certainly like coming to another planet. The entrance was like entering an alien spacecraft and the experience was exotic, full of mystery and wonder. The lighting inside was subdued, most of the clientele seemed to be dressed semi-formally.

After being completely flumoxed by the menu i asked for a selection of assorted sushi, including scallops, salmon, Tuna, but also other surprises. (The menus were thick and detailed. We could have spent all evening just reading them, so the staff were all-important! Be prepared to have difficulty in understanding the heavy japanese accent, but this is authentic so what can you expect?) The quality of the food and the presentation of it are certainly a ten! That is what you are paying for here. The Sushi was nothing like any of the conveyor belt chain restaurants. All was melt in the mouth and full of flavours and taste combinations that you will not find in a similar restaurant. each dish as it arrived at our table was an exquisite surprise and a sensation treat. many other reviewers of this place did not experience the pleasure that we did. it was indeed like dining at Douglas Adams's "restaurant at the end of the universe" and we came away in a happy daze, partly mutiplied in effect by the truly delicious iced plum wine, which was like nectar!
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Dave
9 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Friday, May 27, 2011

This is the most OVER RATED restaurant in the world. Paid £780 for dinner for TWO PEOPLE and was still hungry at the end of the meal. Patronising staff, zero atmosphere. It would be cheaper to fly Kyoto at the price. A pretentious eatery for ageing londoners.
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Rob Wilson @ hating UMU
0 Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Tuesday, April 26, 2011

I had keiseki tasting menu. first dish was konbu cured white fish with monkfish liver. The monkfish liver texture was a bit rubber like however dish was ok.2nd was a lobster soup with sesame tofu it looked nice and was lovely. 3rd sashimi I would say sashimi and sushi is the best in london! 4th thin sliced squid with caviar was nice on a spoon.

5th grated turnip with mushroom and foie grass, foie was overcooked fell apart and did not melt in mouth as it already melted in the pan to much. Was mushi. 6th venison very disappointing in presentation and texture was dry and chewy sauce was ok. This dish umu should take off the menu it is not up to umu's usual standard. 7th salmon rice with ginger was ok but did taste a little fishy as well the salmon flakes were a bit dry.

finally dessert Japanese chestnut cake red bean center with ice-cream and pear with sharon fruit. Chestnut cake was ok but nothing special combination with Cointreau ice cream ok. the fruit was bland the pair had not much flavour and the sharon fruit was ok but in general this dessert was a bit disappointing.

My partner had a Umu green salad and the portion was too small. We noticed the portion size of this salad keeps changing? To much dressing better to ask for the dressing on the side.

lobster in tofu sauce and yuzu foam a lovely dish however the foam was a bit bitter and sour. I am familiar with yuzu but this yuzu foam was to strong. Sushi very outstanding

dessert Chocolate fondant. this dessert you can get in almost any restaurant nowadays. At umu it is served with prune apricot and raisin and miso ice cream. All to sweet.

Service: Greeting at the door was pleasant waiter was nice and attentive however wine sale and sake sale is a bit pushy.

overall an nice evening however keiseki atmosphere 0. Umu states to be Kaiseki however we feel it is a london high class japanese not kaiseki at all.
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Uwe Heinzinger
6 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 6
Thursday, January 27, 2011

we have dined last saturday. we were disappointed. food was fine. but we had no english and japanese speaker... we do not understand at all what he is talking about. we haven't got any japanse atmosphere. it was ful of customers and looks busy. we waited too much. waiter is pushing too much beverages. WHY???
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morry - View all reviews by this user
4 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 2 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 2
Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Superb, as usual. If you want a real treat, go to UMU. Perfect service, discrete yet very helpful. The food is amazing. The best in the world when it comes to sushi. Very subtle tastes.
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10 Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Sunday, October 03, 2010

I've dined any many Japanese restaurants and have to say Umu was a DISAPPOINTMENT!!!! when compared with others in London. Roka and Zuma are 100% better then this place.

The service staff were friendly but they did not accommodate a request to replace the Foie Gras from the tasting menu - which was met with a harsh "NO" from the chef !!! I mean come on I'm going to spend £250+ at your restaurant and you can't replace the Foie Gras with a side of Sushi....what a joke.

I seriously don't know how these guys got their Michelin star - it's leaves you begging for more.

Sushi was great but all other dishes were bland and lacked flavour.

Go to Nobu, Roka or Zuma instead. Don't waste your money.
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VARUN
3 Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 1
Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Pricy but elegant with good quality. It was a nice evening out.
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Patrick
8 Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Sunday, September 26, 2010

Ate there in early August - we will not be going back

It wasn't the food which put us off - it would be pretty good value at about half the price. It was the service, which beggared belief.

When we sat down at our table, three different staff members, all of whom were fluent in English, checked with us whether we understood the menu. But when it came to actually taking the order, we were allocated a trainee waiter who spoke no English. His supervisor (one of the three who had been round earlier) watched him struggle from 3 feet away, but did not intervene. It took ages to place the order,and then, needless to say, he got it wrong, in more than one way.

When we complained, the manager offered to refund the discretionary service charge. He didn't seem to grasp the discretionary notion - we were in any event not going to pay that.

Incidentally, a Japanese celebrity appeared while we were eating. A super-senior manager came out and served her personally.

Draw your own conclusions - I certainly have.
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Rusty - View all reviews by this user
1 Overall rating
Food 5 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Thursday, August 12, 2010