| Kumo Japanese
Steak House 2517 Santa Barbara Blvd #12, Cape Coral, FL 33914 239-573-9866 main page/menu |
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| If I never had sushi again, I'd probably be okay with that. I grew up in the midwest, and in my family, seafood was Mrs. Paul's fish sticks... something I'd find a way to wrap in a paper napkin and excuse myself then flush them down the toilet rather than eat. Had you told me five years ago I'd have a favorite sushi place, I would have just laughed. | ||
| Kumo has great sushi according to everyone with whom I have dined there. It's one of Judy's favorite restaurants and I like it. The fact that I'm even reviewing a sushi place speaks volumes. Kumo is not just a sushi place, it's a Japanese steak house, with teriyaki, katsu, and tempura dishes. Sushi is the star, but Kumo also has several hibachi grille tables, where sometimes boisterous parties are shouting in delight as shrimp fly through the air and flames burst up toward the ceiling. | ||
| There's a lot to like at Kumo. One person might like to go there with family or work friends strictly for the hibachi experience. Another might go for the Japanese dishes like teriyaki and katsu. Another might like the traditional sushi and sashimi - you can get just a ball of rice with a slice of raw yellowtail or eel or octopus - or the fancy, flashy Americanized sushi with crazy names and a dozen ingredients. | ||
| Hard core sushi lovers can sit at the sushi bar and get to know their chef. Hibachi lovers can sit at a grille. There are a few seats at the cocktail bar, and one can definitely get a cocktail at Kumo, in addition to beer, wine, and of course, a good selection of sakes. | ||
| There are actually quite a few places to get sushi locally, including places that serve a mix of Chinese, Thai, and Japanese food. I'm not a reliable judge of sushi places, but people whose judgment I respect hold Kumo in high esteem among these. My point in reviewing Kumo is to say, 1 - if you've got a guest or family member who doesn't care for sushi, you can get really good sushi there and they can have something else and 2 - I've come to like basic sushi from trying small servings at Kumo * and 3 - I am usually surprised at how little we spend at Kumo. Kumo is not the cheapest sushi place, but I personally cannot bring myself to put the words "cheap" and "sushi" into a sentence that has any positive connotations. | ||
| * The sushi menu has a section with single piece servings like yellowtail sushi or sashimi for $2.65, sweet shrimp for $2.95, smoked salmon for $2.35. While some like to order a big fancy roll with lots of different ingredients, I've taken the route of ordering one or two simple, inexpensive rolls to expand my understanding of the basics. The concept of willingly putting a piece of raw fish in my mouth was unthinkable at one time. I now enjoy a nice slab of yellowtail on rice with a seaweed band, a tiny bit of the red label soy sauce, and a bit of wasabi, and a slice of ginger. It's elegant. I don't see why people want a huge complicated roll. | ||
| Service is generally happy and enthusiastic, the atmosphere is generally festive, and the staff is especially friendly and warm to return customers. Within just a few visits, we felt like we were visiting old friends when we came in the door. | ||
| main page/menu | ||
| Other sushi places we've been to: Blu Sushi on MacGregor, behind the Prawn Broker, is a very popular spot. I've been there, wasn't as happy as my hard core sushi loving friends, but everyone I've spoken to who likes sushi seems to like the place. Lobster Lady, of course, now has sushi. Yellowfin and J&P are popular spots in Cape Coral. Lobster Lady and J&P are both places where your non sushi loving friends or family members will find something they like. Ichiyummy Sushi and Hibachi is a favorite of some friends of ours, I did not care for it, so check it for yourself. | ||