We were sad to hear that Umi, a Japanese restaurant in Stockbridge was permanently closing. I had the best Gyoza of my life there. Anyone who went will remember how they came with a little crispy skirt, so delicious. The good news is that there is still sister restaurant Bentoya to enjoy, and it just so happens we were invited for lunch this week.
The interior, like Umi, does well to capture a Japanese vibe – think minimal wood with low benches and cushions. Don’t worry though, if your back won’t take it there are also plenty of tables and chairs (there’s more seating downstairs too if it gets busy).
Bentoya is a Japanese Fusion restaurant, there is a wide variety of sushi, but if you’re not a fan then there’s plenty of other dishes to enjoy. We started with the super crispy and generously sized Prawn Tempura, served with a salty soy dipping sauce. Alongside these we had the Chicken Yakitori skewers, the sweet glaze was a nice contrast to our other starter.
It was Sunday lunch and we were both craving comfort food so went the fusion route and ordered the Chicken Fried Rice and Duck Wok Fried Noodles. Both dishes were super fresh, it was like the best of Chinese at a Japanese restaurant. Fusion can often be a bit hit and miss, but not here. If I had a Chinese food craving, weirdly I would go to Bentoya!
We were brought an additional dish to try, Sushi Roll with prawn tempura topped with crispy onions. This was a great way to enjoy sushi if you’d rather not have raw fish. We loved it and would definitely add it to our next order.
Bentoya is located on Bread Street, if you’re already missing your Umi fix, this is a perfect replacement. If you’re look for clean tasting dishes with a nice authentic atmosphere, you’ve found your place. The fusion angle also makes it easy for group dinners as there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Find out more about Bentoya