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Ya Mi Teriyaki: reheated food but still a winner
By Aron Bradley
from Salem Monthly, Section Dining
Posted on Fri Feb 29, 2008 at 11:57:32 PM PDT

A few years ago in Dallas, a popular breakfast place changed hands and re-opened as Ya Mi Teriyaki and Sushi Roll. Restaurants usually have a tenuous first year and some geographical areas and types of cuisine may take more than a few years to establish their niche and generate loyal customers. So far, Ya Mi Teriyaki and Sushi has stood the test of time, so I decided it was time to pay them a visit.

On our first visit we sampled the shrimp tempura with rice and vegetables ($6.95) and their California Roll ($4.99), and Chicken Yakisoba ($6.95). The tempura and yakisoba were very good and the sushi was fresh. All portions were generous. There is free self-serve soup available; spicy cabbage and egg flower were the options that were available when I was there. It could have used a bit more flavor, such as a dash of dashi, which are dried Bonito tuna flakes.

On my second visit I had chicken and prawn teriyaki, a special that day ($7.25) and the spicy tuna roll ($5.25). My server apologized that the tuna was a bit icy when she brought me my meal so I waited till I finished the other dish before sampling it. The prawns were grilled on a skewer along with several large chunks of chicken. I enjoyed the subtle teriyaki sauce, which is often way too strong and overpowers the delicate grilled chicken taste.

Unfortunately the chicken and prawns tasted reheated, and to make matters worse were not hot enough. The teriyaki sauce and rice were warmer than the rest of the food. Reheating prawns is never a good idea, since they take such little time to grill and tend to dry out when reheated. Generally any food meant to be served hot that is not thoroughly heated could pose a hazard. Held food must be over 140 degrees to place it out of the danger zone.

Although I probably should have sent the entree back, I suffered no ill effects, but if I dine there again and receive under-heated food, I will certainly not accept it. Ya Mi adds no MSG which is a plus and my previous meals were adequately heated so this restaurant will probably warrant another visit.  






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