Yuki is a traditional Japanese restaurant located on 151 Iron Skillet Court. Tucked behind larger buildings like a Sonic, drugstore and Culver’s and out of sight of Scottsville Road, it can be an easy location to miss. In addition, Yuki is a fairly plain looking building, making it difficult to realize it’s even a restaurant if you don’t already know it’s there.
As soon as you enter, you’re greeted by the soothingly dim lighting and a few small decorations you’d expect to see in a Japanese restaurant, such as a small fountain and a few decorative mood lamps. One side of the establishment offers a sushi bar, allowing visitors to see their sushi prepared. The rest of the building is taken up by a number of tables spread across a few rooms, and space is managed in a way that makes the atmosphere cozy without being crowded. The friendly service allows plenty of time to look through the extensive menu and is always ready to refill, answer questions or offer assistance.
Gwen: I decided to give Yuki’s sushi a try, so I ordered the California Roll, Chop Chop, and the Crunchy Shrimp Roll. The waitress was quick to give us Yum Yum sauce when asked, which was a bonus. The Chop Chop and Crunchy Shrimp Roll looked and tasted very similar besides one ingredient, the shrimp, but they were still extraordinary. They had a perfect amount of crunch and savory flavor, and they went perfectly with the California rolls.
I have had California Rolls at numerous Japanese restaurants, but the California Roll at Yuki was by far the best sushi I have ever had. I would go eat California Rolls at Yuki every day if I could. Overall, Yuki’s sushi was worth every penny. I would highly recommend Yuki to all of the sushi lovers out there because I can guarantee you that you will not be disappointed.
Cole: I tried the teriyaki chicken with tempura shrimp. My meal also came with a bowl of miso soup and salad as appetizers. The tempura shrimp came out first, and the cook on it was perfect. All three shrimp were crunchy and so satisfying. As for the teriyaki chicken, I got a decent portion of chicken along with some grilled vegetables and white rice. The chicken was tender and had a sufficient amount of teriyaki sauce. The steamy white rice with the teriyaki chicken made a great combo. The grilled vegetables seemed more for presentation. Overall, I was very pleased with what I ordered, and I had enough food to take as leftovers as well. I could see myself going to Yuki again.
Hemi: I decided to try Niku Soba, which is simply defined as “seasoned beef in broth” on the menu. Keeping to traditional recipes, there were only three small pieces of beef in the bulky bowl of buckwheat noodles and broth. Our whole table almost immediately noticed the musty smell of my dish, which didn’t become any easier to handle as the meal went on. There was little variety of flavors in the meal, especially compared to our other orders. Every bite of noodles, beef or scallion packed an unforgivably savory punch that was also highlighted by a distinct tartness, likely as a result of the rice wine used to create the broth.
Based on my previous experiences of more westernized noodle dishes, I expected the dish to be saltier and have a much different flavor profile than it did. The Niku Soba is a meal I’d only recommend to someone seeking traditional Japanese cuisine, and it’s personally not something I’ll order next time I visit Yuki, especially after trying some of their splendid sushi.
As soon as you enter, you’re greeted by the soothingly dim lighting and a few small decorations you’d expect to see in a Japanese restaurant, such as a small fountain and a few decorative mood lamps. One side of the establishment offers a sushi bar, allowing visitors to see their sushi prepared. The rest of the building is taken up by a number of tables spread across a few rooms, and space is managed in a way that makes the atmosphere cozy without being crowded. The friendly service allows plenty of time to look through the extensive menu and is always ready to refill, answer questions or offer assistance.
Gwen: I decided to give Yuki’s sushi a try, so I ordered the California Roll, Chop Chop, and the Crunchy Shrimp Roll. The waitress was quick to give us Yum Yum sauce when asked, which was a bonus. The Chop Chop and Crunchy Shrimp Roll looked and tasted very similar besides one ingredient, the shrimp, but they were still extraordinary. They had a perfect amount of crunch and savory flavor, and they went perfectly with the California rolls.
I have had California Rolls at numerous Japanese restaurants, but the California Roll at Yuki was by far the best sushi I have ever had. I would go eat California Rolls at Yuki every day if I could. Overall, Yuki’s sushi was worth every penny. I would highly recommend Yuki to all of the sushi lovers out there because I can guarantee you that you will not be disappointed.
Cole: I tried the teriyaki chicken with tempura shrimp. My meal also came with a bowl of miso soup and salad as appetizers. The tempura shrimp came out first, and the cook on it was perfect. All three shrimp were crunchy and so satisfying. As for the teriyaki chicken, I got a decent portion of chicken along with some grilled vegetables and white rice. The chicken was tender and had a sufficient amount of teriyaki sauce. The steamy white rice with the teriyaki chicken made a great combo. The grilled vegetables seemed more for presentation. Overall, I was very pleased with what I ordered, and I had enough food to take as leftovers as well. I could see myself going to Yuki again.
Hemi: I decided to try Niku Soba, which is simply defined as “seasoned beef in broth” on the menu. Keeping to traditional recipes, there were only three small pieces of beef in the bulky bowl of buckwheat noodles and broth. Our whole table almost immediately noticed the musty smell of my dish, which didn’t become any easier to handle as the meal went on. There was little variety of flavors in the meal, especially compared to our other orders. Every bite of noodles, beef or scallion packed an unforgivably savory punch that was also highlighted by a distinct tartness, likely as a result of the rice wine used to create the broth.
Based on my previous experiences of more westernized noodle dishes, I expected the dish to be saltier and have a much different flavor profile than it did. The Niku Soba is a meal I’d only recommend to someone seeking traditional Japanese cuisine, and it’s personally not something I’ll order next time I visit Yuki, especially after trying some of their splendid sushi.
By Gwen Hatcher, Cole Rubin and Hemi Bell