Umi Sushi and Seafood, the sparkly new place at Reading Termnial Market, is the brainchild of local Chef Yong Kim and Suzi Kim of John Yi Seafood.
They met several years ago at Chef Kim’s Bluefin restaurant and bonded over their commitment to providing the best seafood to the Philadelphia region. Together, they bring a combined 60 years of experience in the seafood business. The partnership of these two culinary powerhouses portends excellence, and so far, they have delivered.
The restaurant’s fish comes from John Yi Seafood, a decades old Market institution known for exceptional quality and top notch service. Umi’s kitchen is under the direction of Chef Yong Kim, owner of B2B Sushi in Bala Cynwyd and Bluefin in East Norriton. The results are excellent, and judging by the crowds flocking to the place, a welcome addition to the Market’s offering.
Nestled in the northwest quadrant of Reading Terminal adjacent to the Amish stands and in the home of the former 12th Street Cantina, Umi offers made to order food to enjoy at the sushi bar, grab and go sushi, sashimi, dumplings, salads, kimchi and poke bowls from an inviting display case and a huge selection of prepared foods to take home and reheat later.
On any given day, Umi offers more than 50 prepared seafood dishes and 100+ varieties of premium sushi, sashimi and maki rolls. Cooked dishes like salmon teriyaki, flounder francaise, herb-crusted cod, couscous, roasted broccoli, and grilled vegetables are available to reheat at home. The tuna salad, made from fresh grilled albacore tuna, was a particular standout.
Many of the sushi rolls are named to honor local landmarks. Check out the Boathouse Roll, the Independence Roll, the Rittenhouse Roll or the Reading Terminal Roll, which incorporate uber-fresh fish with flawlessly cooked rice, artfully enhanced with premium ingredients like ripe avocados, shiso leaves, crisp cucumbers, tobiko and spicy mayo.
The specialty rolls dazzle, but if your taste is a bit more mainstream, there are also plenty of traditional standbys — spicy tuna roll, yellowtail scallion roll, Philly roll with cream cheese and salmon, or veggie rolls. Chef Kim makes his own soy sauce — it is a flavorful, complex condiment, the ingredients of which are closely guarded.
If you go:
Umi is located in Reading Terminal Market, 51 N. 12th St, Philadelphia PA 19107. They are open 7 days a week from 8am-6pm.
Phone number is 267-324-3105
