31/05/2026: Yumi Izakaya is probably one of the best Asian restaurants in Puglia. The well-maintained restaurant is spread across two floors: the ground floor features an open kitchen, while the second floor features an elegant horseshoe-shaped counter.
The latter, however, is almost intimidating: sitting there, you expect a chef intent on preparing the food with classic Japanese precision and kindness, but in the end, you find yourself faced with nothing, almost wondering, "So what?" For beginners, it's also not easy to figure out how to order. After several minutes, the waiter arrives immediately to take the order, when you'd expect someone ready to explain the process or how the menu works.
Much to our disappointment, we then discover that the restaurant no longer prepares fresh fish from the catch of the day. And this is where, for many customers, a world closes in. Because that's what they went to Yumi for: a freshly prepared nigiri with fresh shrimp, or sashimi precisely sliced in front of the customer.
Today, however, the menu focuses primarily on fried foods and broths. The quality remains impeccable: the egg is soft and creamy on the inside, the eel is delicious, as is the blue crab, tender and flavorful.
In conclusion, the food is excellent, but many say that after eliminating the fresh fish, the restaurant has lost part of its true identity.
30/05/2026: It was fun. The experience of a Japanese dinner with the opportunity to try multiple dishes was positive. The atmosphere was nice and welcoming, and the food was definitely good.