PHLReview
Umami Steak and Sushi Bar
An evening at Old City’s Umami Steak and Sushi bar feels more like a speakeasy meets Japanese spot than anything. First, there’s the setting. You have to walk downstairs, past a piano setup and dining room, to get to the sushi bar. And then there’s the atmosphere—Kpop coming out of the speakers while strangers dance. But it’s the omakase menu—$150 and $180—that’s the real life of the party. You’ll have a night of Japanese mackerel topped with scallion and ginger, a toro tartare bowl with a cucumber shaped into a flower, and peppery wagyu beef (if you get the more expensive omakase). It’s also probably the only place in town where the chef will sneak you a piece of uni while you hear a mashup between Black Pink and whatever the guy from Happy Hour is playing on the piano.
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