First up is, of course, parking. You get lucky in the area if you find a spot during lunch that’s not a couple blocks away. Belcourt Ave is notoriously parked up, as is most of the Village. One day – yes, one day – they will make the Village a walk and bike area only! It would be nice to brick up those skimpy lanes that always back up with SUVs. But I digress.

The first thing I noticed as I walked up to the front porch is now nice the outdoor location seemed. It’s vibrant orange umbrellas make a perfect accompaniment to the wood and light metal decor, and we all know how little outdoor seating there is in Nashville. I also found the directions posted for first-timers helpful. The interior is spacious, with a light wood and black molding ambiance that produces a clean lined, oriental-simplicity feel. The tables are well spaced inside, and there are two circular half-bench, half chair tables that would be perfect for a party of five or six that are set apart from other tables.

Clientele could be an issue if too much Vandy Candy arrive and take over. At lunch, I was luckily spared from a full dose of the typical upscale sunglass-clad shocker. Most people were work types out for a business lunch, but not in suits. The menu included thoughtful sushi offerings, only one of which I recognized as standard fare (crunchy shrimp). Prices ranged from $5 to $10 for sushi, and each item’s description had been tailored which spoke well of its creative effort. Besides sushi, the menu features a helpful kid’s menu, and almost all entrees are under $10. The most intriguing item is the Basil Mango Curry. Other offerings include nigiri and sashimi.

I planned a trip because I had heard through the grapevine that they had organic sake. What’s organic about sake, you ask? The way the rice is produced. Saki is also known as rice wine…and is made from the fermentation of the rice starch. Not being a sake drinker normally, I can’t say I have the palate to critique it, but for those foodies interested in organic sake, they do have it. A large bottle that is approximately the size of a glass bottle of beer runs a hefty $12. They have them sitting in ice right in front of the Satco-reminiscent ordering location.
Because I worry whether a sushi roll will fill me up, I went for a more substantial offering: the Veggie Noodle Bowl. When I asked if it was worth ordering, I got a total blank from the cashier who appeared to be thrown by my question. I’m always one to try and connect with someone, but I’d label this exchange uncomfortable. As a newcomer, I had to ask how things worked, and got a mildly derisive feel as the response. This got even better when that annoying credit card trick came into play. You know those places that train their staff not to give the card back until you sign? Just give me my card back, you’re not the federal reserve, I’m not going to run out of your restaurant without signing. I imagine this must be a problem in the Village.

I chose to eat outside and took my number to plug into the wire stand at my table. Zumi offers partial service so they will bring your meal to you and bus the table when you’re done. You need to get your own drinks, silverware, etc. from inside. My meal arrived in about five minutes and I was pleasantly surprised. My noodle bowl was liquidless, and had beautifully grilled tofu and long, bright slices of red pepper over a bed of wheat-colored noodles. The tofu was perfectly grilled and soft, and flavored with flakes of red pepper. The entire dish had a mild/medium spicy kick to it which I found appetizing, and probably arose from the thin slices of jalepeno and pepper flakes. The snow peas also added to the freshness. The overall dish was a success; the flavors combined together well, and I left full but without that heavy draining feeling. For vegetarians not interested in spicy flavoring, however, I would look for other options.

During lunch a few of the tables around me ordered sushi, and I thanked myself for my earlier hesitation. The sushi appeared the size of most ordinary rolls, and had a creative presentation from what I could tell. The large sushi rolls and artistry of Sushiyobi were not present on this occasion, but there really did seem to be effort and heart in the design. If you’re looking for a light lunch, this would appear to be a great option. One salad looked entirely skippable from a nearby table, so I would suggest aiming for a sushi platter and see what you think.

This is a great location and concept. The Village needed an addition like this, and this will be a place I look forward to dropping by again when we’re around the Village scene.

Zumi Sushi
2119 Belcourt Ave
Nashville, TN 37212