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| - We kept being told that Umi is hands down the best sushi in Pittsburgh, so the expectation was already there. People get really territorial about sushi and what is qualified as "the best" in each of our heads.
As for Umi, they get high marks in my opinion for for quality of sushi, quality of toro specifically, taste of rock shrimp entree and sea bass with miso. Our server Benjamin was friendly, delightful and professional as well.
It was good and I am glad we went to experience Umi, but life is about managing expectations and despite my 3 stars, I too am not sure if I would go back.
I want to give it 4 stars on food alone, but the negative points which made me more inclined to give it 3 stars were:
1) only being able to get a reservation past 9pm any day of the week for many weeks in advance on Open Table (built up my expectation of what I thought Umi would be)
2) being turned away from Valet at our 9pm arrival because it was full (again, built up my expectation of how in demand Umi is)
3) the long flights of stairs to reach the restaurant is a haul if you don't like or cannot walk stairs with ease. Although we are fit and able, we were advised that there is not an elevator to get patrons to the restaurant, but a person could be served Umi menu from Soba restaurant on first floor. Not sure where the ADA compliance is here, but even if they are up to code, seems bizarre in the 21st century to hear from someone that it is almost incredibly inconvenient to show up with an issue that would prohibit you from walking up stairs in order to be served at Umi. But regardless, "stairway to almost heaven" again almost feeds into to expectation of "what is at the top" and what my experience will be.
4) venue space is indeed small and thus explains limited reservations. It is a calming, welcoming, dimly lit designed room...felt cool, hip, modern in a way.
5) sushi quality was indeed there, but sushi portions are indeed small. The Rainbow Roll is my barometer on sushi and thus my bar on comparing one sushi establishment to another. Portions do not need to be large to be considered great when it comes to sushi, but for $27 for a Rainbow Roll, the expectation is there that this is going to be so amazing it is going to rock my world. Quality was very good, roll was very fresh, but not $27 good. The slices of fish on top of roll were too thin to be warrant the price. I am happy to pay $27, but the restaurant set my expectation up and I was a little disappointed. If the Rainbow Roll was $20, I might feel differently.
Life is about managing expectations, so go to Umi and try it for yourself and you be the judge and write your own review.
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