The newest addition to the eclectic mix of ethnic restaurants found in Allston, Sumi (meaning “charcoal” in Japanese) offers guests the opportunity to dine at Boston’s first yakitori style restaurant, specializing in Asian barbeque.
Pink walls brighten this tiny restaurant and a collection of Asian art pieces, including the traditional porcelain cat raising his paw as an offering of good luck, lend a certain aesthetic to the place. In the back of the restaurant, a giant window exposes the kitchen, where diners can see owner Yoshi Hakamoto preparing their food.
Similar to Spanish tapas restaurants, Sumi’s menu features pictures of the different dishes. Yakitori, originally consisting of grilled-chicken skewers has expanded to offer many types of meat, including duck, lamb, steak tips and various seafood items. Sumi also offers seven vegetarian options, including button mushrooms or eggplant. For just under $4, you get two skewers of vegetables per order.
The meal choices are simple — the most complicated it gets is a dressing of a teriyaki-style sauce — but that doesn’t take away from the food. For those who prefer their food without the sticks, Sumi also offers a variety of unusual side orders, including rice balls glazed with egg-sauce. Despite the unique title, the dish is really just two balls of rice with an extra crispy shell.
The idea of Sumi, as with a traditional tapas restaurant, is to order more food as the meal progresses, though the restaurant still offers traditional Asian house specials, such as rice dishes prepared with soup bases. For the most bang for your buck, stick with the skewers. At $20 a meal, you’ll get meat skewers, rice balls, a side of seaweed and the Unagi house special. Sumi is ideal for a cheap, healthy and simple Asian meal.