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MOST ROMANTIC: The Happy Sumo
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BEST SPECIAL OCCASION DINING: The Happy Sumo
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BEST SUSHI: The Happy Sumo
Given the fact that, these days, fine sushi restaurants are as numerous as oil change drive-thrus, reaching the top of this category is no small achievement. In most cases, and as long as you’ve got high quality cuts of raw fish, sushi is sushi. Much depends, then, on what you do with it, how you do it, and where it’s done.
In this case, we’re talking about The Happy Sumo’s mind-boggling array of delicious rolls, and delectable extras you’ll find nowhere else in the valley. Maybe it’s the “sumo sauce,” or the chefs’ artful use of cucumbers, lime, chicken breast or half a dozen other ingredients most establishments never bother with.
Even if raw fish isn’t your thing—in which case you can order from an array of cooked entrees—the stylish atmosphere makes you feel you’re deep in the heart of Tokyo on a rainy evening.
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DAILY HERALD
Elyssa Andrus
The uber blonde waitresses, dressed in tight black clothing, complement the serene, modern decor that greets customers as they enter the restaurant.
Depending on the size of your party, you can sit at the sushi bar (where the action is), at a free-standing table or in one of the restaurant's side booths. The booths are flanked by sheer curtains that can be drawn for added privacy, in the event you do weird things while eating raw fish.
The Happy Sumo has as substantial a selection of sushi and sashimi as is available anywhere else in Utah County. Hardcore fans of raw fish will appreciate the very fresh sashimi selection, which includes sake (salmon), hamachi (yellowtail) and tako (octopus). If, like us, you like rice and prefer sushi to sashimi, there is an extensive repertoire of nigiri and maki rolls. But the reason to come to the restaurant is for the specialty rolls, each as artfully prepared as a modernist painting.
We were so in love with the Mia Roll that we had to ask for seconds. The dish combines rice with tempura shrimp, cucumber and sumo sauce and tops the roll with crab, eel, avocado and eel sauce. The eel had a firm, fleshy consistency that contrasted nicely with the mushy avocado. And the rich eel sauce was bold without being overpowering.
At our server's recommendation, we also tried the Marz Roll, which has several ingredients in common with the Mia. To make this dish, chefs wrap tempura shrimp and cucumbers in rice and a spicy sauce, then top it with crab salad, tuna sashimi, avocado and eel sauce. The star of this dish is the fresh, chunky tuna. Sashimi is a bit like the ABC soap-drama "Desperate Housewives": You either love it or you hate it.
If you are in the latter category, there's still plenty to like at The Happy Sumo. Much more than a sushi bar, this restaurant also has cooked chicken, pork, beef and noodle dishes, as well as a half a dozen salads to choose from.
During lunch, one can order a Bento Box, which cruises through much of the menu with a sampling of miso soup, California Rolls and a choice of a teriyaki or tempura dish. We chose the Salmon Teriyaki and were delighted when the server brought a steak that was as big as our hand. The beautifully pink meat was perfectly seared on the outside, with a melt-in-your-mouth center sweetened by a punchy teriyaki glaze.
The well-named Happy Hawaiian, for example, featured perfectly tender blackened chicken marinated in pineapple juice, soy sauce and green chiles.
This dish was just one example of why making The Happy Sumo a regular habit may make for some permanently joyful spirits.
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SKYWEST MAGAZINE WINTER 2003 - 2004
Title: Salt Lake Scene
By Sabrina
SAKE to me, Baby! Complete your Gateway tour with eats and Asian-fusion treats at the Happy Sumo. The place is definitely hot (and I’m not just talking about the wasabe!). All it takes is one visit and you’ll understand why City Weekly, SLC’s independent news weekly, named this establishment as 2002 Best New Restaurant and 2003 Best Sushi – Best of Utah.
Though I’ll be the first to admit that prior to my experience at the Happy Sumo I had never found large, scantily clad Asian men appetizing (yes, pictures of sumo wrestlers “decorate” the walls!). But the scents and environment of the Happy Sumo make you all warm and tingly inside—though that could also be the sake talking. The lighting could make even the frumpiest of coeds comfortable trying on a spring-break swimsuit as the place surrounds you in feng shui appeal. Plus there are plenty of delectable treats for those of you saying “I don’t like raw fish!” This hip spot titillates more than taste buds with cuisine as eclectic as the customers who dine there. Mi - so happy!
See you on the scene! Sabrena
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Title: Gateway Gold
by Ted Scheffler, restaurant critic
Having recently spent a lovely fall Sunday afternoon browsing the fantastic selection of kitchen goodies at the Sur La Table store in the Gateway, I found myself to be a bit peckish. And so I headed with a pal over to The Happy Sumo Sushi Bar & Restaurant, located in “restaurant row” at the south end of the Gateway, across from Z Tejas and McGrath’s Fish House. I wasn’t certain that The Happy Sumo would even be open on a Sunday evening and had resigned myself to the idea that I’d probably be supping at Tejas or McGrath’s. To my surprise, The Happy Sumo was not only open, but the restaurant was quietly rockin.’ There was live acoustic music (courtesy of Misty Murphy) on the patio and the place was about half-full. Not bad for any restaurant, but especially for sushi on Sunday.
On my other visits, The Happy Sumo has been busy as well—a testament, I think, to the high quality of food, friendly service and upscale ambiance this restaurant offers. It’s a hip, modern-looking space with a large sushi bar in the back of the restaurant, cozy chenille-covered booths along the walls and freestanding tables in the center of the restaurant and out on the patio. At night, the dim but focused lighting at The Happy Sumo helps to generate a feeling of serenity and intimacy at each booth or table.
Usually when I dine in Japanese restaurants, I prefer to sit at the sushi bar. That’s where the action is. I enjoy watching sushi chefs demonstrate their craft and it’s the best place to learn about sushi specials and which fish is the freshest that day. And so I enjoy sitting at The Happy Sumo sushi bar too—the sushi chefs are knowledgeable and informative. But as is not the case in many Japanese restaurants, the table service at The Happy Sumo is so friendly that I find it difficult to choose between the sushi bar and a table. Either way, you can’t lose from a service standpoint.
The Happy Sumo offers a traditional array of nigiri and maki sushi as well as the restaurant’s special rolls. Remember, “sushi” refers to the rice. So not all sushi contains raw or cooked fish. At The Happy Sumo, for example, vegetarians would be quite pleased with kappa maki ($3.75), which is a cucumber roll—about as simple and straightforward as sushi gets. Those same vegetarians would enjoy the delicious seaweed salad, sprinkled with sesame seeds and a light rice-wine vinaigrette ($4.95), as did I. And of course, a nice big bowl of edamame (steamed soybeans sprinkled with sea salt) is de rigueur. Since discovering the damn things a couple years ago, I’ve become an edamame addict.
At the far end of the subtlety spectrum from the cucumber roll is The Happy Sumo “Death Roll,” a spicy concoction of soft-shell crab, cucumber, radish, gobo root, sprouts and The Happy Sumo’s “death paste.” This is serious wake-up call sushi and a dish you might want to put off until late in your meal, lest you lose the ability to taste anything else. I have no idea who J. Smart is, but I also loved the J. Smart specialty roll one evening, which was maki sushi with fresh albacore, ahi tuna, and avocado ($9.50). I’d like to see that smart-tasting roll on the regular menu.
In addition to sushi and extremely fresh sashimi, The Happy Sumo offers typical cooked dishes like teriyaki chicken, ribs and salmon. But there are also some interesting other cooked offerings on the menu, like the heavenly macadamia nut-crusted sea bass ($17.95) it’s killer. Another terrific dish is the “Sumo Maguro,” which is albacore cooked with a wasabi crust and a teriyaki glaze ($18.95). The seared sashimi-grade ahi tuna ($18.95) with tataki spices is yet another winner.
I’m not usually big on desserts, in part because portion sizes in Utah tend to be so huge that I rarely have room for them. But I highly recommend The Happy Sumo’s “Tempura Banana Split” ($5.95), where the hot tempura-fried banana comingles with cold vanilla ice cream in a way that I could only use sexual terms to describe. Let’s just say, it makes me moan.
Excellent food, very friendly service, and an unusually chic atmosphere make this sushi restaurant a reason to visit the Gateway. It’s like finding Gateway gold. Simply put, The Happy Sumo spawns happy customers. |
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Title: Happy Sumo Serving Smiles
By Stephanie Tanner-Brown
Salt Lake Tribune restaurant critic
Not a raw fish fan? There's still food for you, too. If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands! Happy Day! Happy, happy, joy, joy. I am a happy camper. Why, I'm so happy I could kiss a green-lipped mussel. That's how it began at the The Happy Sumo sushi bar in the Gateway. With green-lipped mussels.
My husband Gary and I started with those, gyoza (pot-stickers) and the always comforting miso soup. The gyoza were fresh and delicate but not as complex as the mussels. Served baked on their shell, the mussels
were flavored with a tangy ailoli, rich sauce of eel and flying fish eggs. Don't pass these up; they're perfect to get your sushi feast started. But I hear you protesting.
You say you're not a sushi fan. Well, try the Happy Sumo, I guarantee it's easy on the palate. Oh, but you are a sushi fan. Then you should feel right at home and suitably impressed. Of the nigiri (fish with rice), we sampled the unagi (eel) and the maguro (tuna). I love eel for it's smooth but toothy texture, combined
with the sweet hearty flavor. Happy's was so fresh tasting I wanted more. Ditto on the tuna - fresh and pretty meat. From Sumo's Specialty Sushi, we had the Surf'n'Turf, of marinated steak, crab, and green onions, deep fried and drizzled with that lovely eel sauce and wasabi. We also tried the Sunset roll, made of crab, avocado and cucumber, and topped with thinly sliced lemon and salmon. Finally, there was the Playboy. Funny name, I know, but this delectable and sensuous roll is fashioned of tempura shrimp, avocado, cucumbers and tuna sashimi, with the eel sauce, a spicy Sumo sauce, and flying fish
eggs.
The Happy Sumo offers an impressive range of Japanese specialties aside from the sushi as well. We tried the sweet-and-sour chicken, but you could order teriyaki chicken or beef, yakisoba (pan-fried vegetables with
noodles and meat) or pan-seared salmon or ahi tuna. The salads are unique and interesting, ranging from the more common Asian chicken salad to salads of seaweed, soft shell crab, cucumber or squid. There's really something for everyone, but with a style and sophistication thatwon't leave the non-sushi crowd behind. For dessert, do yourself a happy favor and try the tempura banana split. A generous plate of hot tempura-battered bananas and whipped crème comes lightly drizzled with chocolate sauce. There's also a a hefty serving of green-tea ice cream, or the Mount Fuji - a chocolate cakelet oozing from the inside with molten chocolate sauce with ice cream on the side. My favorite was the bananas; they were so light that, especially shared, there was room for dessert. I'm digging on the happy vibe at The Happy Sumo. My belly is full, but I don't feel heavy. I recommend a dose of Happy if you've been a little snowed under by the weather. The service is good, and the ambience is calm, yet upbeat. This stylish thirtysomething spot will please both the novice and the expert. And I promise you will be happy. Price for appetizers range from $1.95 to $9.95, salads $4.95 to $9.95, specialty entrees $10.95 to $18.95, sushi $4 to $12.50, sashimi $13.50 to $24.50, desserts $3.50 to $5.95. |
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A stylishly casual sushi restaurant that outshines its chain neighbors in The Gateway.
Editorial Review
The Scene:
The chic dining room is inviting with sunny walls, large windows, chenille banquettes and colorful earthenware plates. Sit at the sushi bar and watch the chefs or tuck into a secluded booth--perfect for a romantic date. Service is friendly.
The Food
Start off with a bowl of the flavorful miso soup then dive right into the sushi menu. About 20 varieties of nigiri sushi are offered (two bite-sized pieces of fish, each served on rice) in addition to the maki sushi, or rolls cut into six or eight pieces. A number of delicious specialty rolls are available: The Wasatch roll (spicy salmon, yellowtail, cucumbers and flying fish eggs) and the dragon roll (crab and avocado topped with spicy sauce and flying fish eggs) are standouts. Save room for dessert and indulge in the tempura banana split: fried bananas and cookies with vanilla ice cream. |
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By Bill Kerig
Author of Utah Underground
"The Happy Sumo is a fun place with the best raw fish in town."
Utah Underground shines a light on Utah's best restaurants, bars, cafes, bookstores, coffeehouses, shopping, recreation, and entertainment plus great events to attend, and summer and winter activities too hot for the brochures to cover |
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| ENTREE MAGAZINE |
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| In the posh, hip embrace of the Happy Sumo, everyone finds something to smile about: sushi is served side-by-side with steak, wine is poured alongside root beer, and the subtle pulse of trance music makes everything all riiiiiiight. With daily air shipments, this upscale destination along Gateway's restaurant row pleases the most discriminating sushi connoisseur, where Salt Lake's most experienced sushi chefs roll spicy tuna, Funky Charlys and even Death Rolls. For the American-menu-inclined, steaks and teriyaki burgers offer delicious alternatives. With its smart decor, superb food and excellent wine list, the Happy Sumo is knows as a place to relax, to see and be seen but for those interested in seeing movies at The Gateway theaters upstairs, the Happy Sumo can also accommodate guests quickly. |
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