Night Shift: Umi Sushi

It was a late Thursday night and work had just wrapped up. My colleagues and I were ready to call it a night but the pangs of hunger beckoned for a tasty meal. I asked if there were any good Korean restaurants in the neighborhood and my colleague told me there was a place real close. A couple minutes later, we ended up in front of Umi Sushi + Udon, a Japanese restaurant.

Located in Darling Harbour, Sydney, Umi Sushi + Udon was one of many dining establishments along the strip. Like others in the area, this restaurant has an open storefront and patio seating. Inside the restaurant, one will find a sushi bar with a conveyor belt that runs along the perimeter.

We sat ourselves down at one of the tables on the patio and were promptly greeted by one of the waitresses. Curiously, she had only one menu on hand for the four of us but later returned with more. I was pleasantly surprised to discover heat lamps positioned under the umbrella at our table, which helped to stave off the early Spring chills.

Salmon Nigiri Sushi ($3.00 AUD, 2 pieces)
Tuna Nigiri Sushi ($4.60, 2 pieces)

I started the night with some basics. It was my first time ordering sushi in Australia but the expectation was that the sashimi would be fresh at a coastal city such as Sydney. Admittedly, the nigiri sushi neither impressed nor disappointed. The salmon and tuna sashimi had a nice, fresh colour and texture but the rice was a bit dry for my liking.

Soft Shell Crab Salad
with Chilli Soy Bean Sesame Vinaigrette

The Soft Shell Crab salad was a bit of a novelty selection but due to inflating prices back at home, I haven't had much soft shell crab since my childhood. The salad itself was largely forgettable thanks to the overwhelming flavours of the salad dressing. Salad leaves were chopped a bit too large to be eaten comfortably.

Wagyu Nabeyaki Udon

The Nabeyaki udon was the star of the night. The bowl of thick noodle soup was served piping hot and came with an assortment of toppings - oden, poached eggs, vegetable tempura, among others. I've always wondered about the economics of using Wagyu beef (back in Toronto, this is premium grade) in a bowl of noodle soup considering the fact that the broth takes away much of the flavour. Nevertheless, the beef was indeed quite savoury and tender. Udon noodles were not overcooked and possessed that characteristic chewiness.


The final price tag of the meal was nearly $40 AUD. For that price, I expected something significantly better though I suppose the salad was largely responsible for inflating the bill. Regardless, the udon was very much enjoyable and worth returning for but I'll likely hold out for better sushi/sashimi offerings elsewhere.

Food - 2.5/5
I'm inclined to believe that the salad offerings were an afterthought. Perhaps it was wrong of me to order a salad in the first place... My experience with the sushi offerings is limited but the nigiri sushi did not impress. Udon was a relatively simple but well-executed option.

Service - 4/5
Waitstaff dropped by frequently either to serve food or collect dishes. Timeliness of service was superb. However, there was a slight language barrier. Didn't bother me much. :)

Decor - 3/5
Admittedly, Umi Sushi wouldn't be considered the poster child of Darling Quarter but it didn't look shabby either. I really enjoyed the outdoor patio seating but it appeared that much of the equipment actually belonged to property management rather than the restaurants themselves. The interior of the restaurant was designed around the conveyor belt sushi bar.