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My sister Sandy is starting to scare me. She absolutely refused to try sushi for years and would say “yilch” every time I told her I love Japanese food. Finally, after seeing the film “In Her Shoes,” where a couple fall in love over sushi, she decided to try it.
“No eel, no octopus,” she said emphatically.
I took her to lunch at Zama and on the way home we happened upon Numa, a new Japanese restaurant one block away. I walked in and brought home a menu.
Numa has been open for a few months. I visited three times and the bi-level restaurant was almost totally booked. Banquets line one wall, the lighting is perfect and so is the music on the sound system. The acoustics are just right so no one has to raise their voice during conversation.
I sat at the sushi bar and sipped on a complimentary tea. The chef helped me decide on my lunch. Miso soup comes with the lunch specials. You can get the soup on the spicy side and I did just that. It was a bit too hot, so my server calmed it down. I ordered the sushi sampler ($10), which I thoroughly enjoyed. I’ve eaten escolar cooked, but never as sushi. It was light and flavorful. My platter included tuna, salmon, red snapper, local fluke from the Jersey waters and a few California rolls. Although I substituted the escolar for the shrimp, the chef wanted me to taste it. Sometimes sushi rice can be gummy, but the chefs know how to make it right at Numa.
On my second visit, the server remembered I like lemon in my tea. I did not have to ask — she brought me a plate with several lemon slices. I nibbled on a big bowl of slightly salted edamame ($5) and decided to try shumai ($5). The bite-sized dumplings were filled with shrimp and whetted my appetite for spicy, crunchy tuna rolls ($7). They were prepared with immaculately fresh tuna, avocado, cucumber, wrapped in crunchy tempura and served with a spicy sauce. I happily crunched away and cleaned my plate.
My friend Marissa, who is the public relations manager for the Pennsylvania Ballet, had a birthday recently and I wanted to treat her to a celebratory lunch.
We toasted with steaming cups of tea (the lemon slices appeared again) and discussed birthdays, the upcoming run of “Swan Lake” and what it is like to have a twin brother.
Marissa ordered the sampler and I tried the ton katsu bento box ($9). Our server told us the protein would be crispy strips of boneless pork. We enjoyed the miso soup and the rest of our meal.
The bento box is an Asian version of the all-American TV dinner, but not frozen. Each compartment contained immaculately fresh and tasty ingredients. The pork was outrageously delicious. I love the ginger salad dressing Japanese restaurants use on simple greens. Slices of sweet potato were prepared in tempura, crispy outside, slightly creamy inside. The box also contained a few California rolls and white rice.
Service on all visits was courteous and friendly. Our water glasses and tea cups were filled because the servers watched the tables.
Numa is now one of my favorite places for Japanese fare. I like the all-day/all-night menu at very moderate prices.
Each fish I sampled was fresh from the sea. Fried foods were totally free of grease. The vegetables in the rolls and salads were cool and crisp. Every ingredient was handled with care.
My sister Sandy will be visiting in a few weeks. I’m taking her to Numa. She’ll nix the eel and octopus, but I won’t. Numa serves beer, wine and sake. Maybe I can get her to try a warm cup of sake with our meal.
Three tips of the toque to Numa. SPR
Numa
108 S. 18th St.
215-496-9950
46715179
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