A good sake menu is hard to find. It’s rare to sit down to a Japanese dinner and open a list of countless sakes organized by types like
junmai,
ginjo,
honjozo or unfiltered; usually there are just a few bottles, sometimes well-selected, other times merely filling a need. For a truly awesome sake experience you need to find an
izakaya, a Japanese bar serving up a variety of sakes and small-to-medium plates largely featuring street and comfort foods. Finally, the time has come for San Diego to appreciate the full experience: the super popular Encinitas
izakaya Sake House Yumeya has just opened a second location in Hillcrest.
The Encinitas parent restaurant has five years of success and many dedicated fans who brave lines out the door and potential two-hour waits for a table. However, the new Yumeya (meaning House of Dreams) is a gem tucked away into an unassuming spot that makes it easy to miss: a small strip mall on the corner of 4th and University. It’s practically a secret to the uninitiated, which means not only are there parking spaces, but at this stage of the game you’re likely to walk in and sit down immediately.
Yumeya is family owned, and "Mom" and "Dad" Nakai make their flavorful udon noodles, soups and dressings from scratch in Encinitas. They only hire cooks with years of Japanese experience, and Mom and Dad train them in Encinitas before they can work in Hillcrest. The broiled black cod with miso is phenomenal, and their ramen and udon (I love the Kitsune udon with thin, braised and fried tofu) are perfect everyday comfort foods as we head into the light San Diego winter. I, personally, can't wait to go back for the spicy tuna carpaccio and the tuna avocado salad with citrus soy dressing – both of which I've heard are amazing.
Mom and Dad Nakai
The Nakai daughters also own the place with their parents. Fumiko cooks and the friendly Yuka works the front of the house (she's often in Encinitas, but I hear she’ll be at the Hillcrest location this Sunday). Yuka and the servers are obviously excited to share their love and knowledge of sake with all the guests; the service is stellar, they explain the different sake styles, and as they pour your sake and it overflows from the glass into the box it rests in, they impart the meaning behind the tradition. Yumeya also boasts an impressive, unique selection of 20 Japanese beers like Coedo (the brown ale has striking notes of honey), Yebisu, Echigo and Hitachino, so you can forgo the typical staples for something far more tasty.
The food and drink are one just part of the experience. Yumeya is dim and lounge-like, yet cozy and laid back. They play reggae and have a DJ on the weekends, and a regular customer composed a selection of anime films that they show on the flat screen. The semi-open kitchen lights up the place, and when you look back there you can see the cooks lovingly prepare your food. The space itself lends to Yumeya’s authenticity: when the Nakais took over, they completely transformed it. Five Japanese men using only traditional hand tools – no power tools – did the lighting, painting, pillars and woodwork, and built a great, efficient bar.
Yumeya has happy hour every day from 5 to 7 pm, plus Friday and Saturday night from 10 pm to close.The happy hour menu features some of their best dishes, like the spicy tuna carpaccio and the beef salad. Welcome this family to the neighborhood before it gets as busy as Encinitas – you’ll be so glad you did.