Black, white and green balloons and the smell of savory, slow-cooked concoctions greeted patrons at the grand opening of Yume Umē: Japanese Kitchen Thursday.
Yume Umēe, which means “yummy dreams” in Japanese, recently replaced Gainesville restaurant staple Rolls n Bowls, located at 3117 SW 34th St.
Owned by the same management — who also owns the upscale restaurant Dragonfly Sushi & Sake downtown — the rebranded restaurant offers “slow food fast,” said Josh Hoffman, the 26-year-old general manager.
“This is the kind of food a Japanese family would eat in their home,” Hoffman said.
Bowls and sandwiches cost $7 to $9, depending on which meat customers choose.
Yume Ume does not serve sushi rolls, Hoffman said, but instead offers an array of traditionally cooked menu items.
Chalkboard menus line the back wall, listing handwritten dishes like baked chicken, miso-cured tofu and lemongrass tempeh.
Corporate chef Hiroo Nagahara, 29, said he used his mother’s recipe for the base of the braised beef. The base of the pulled pork dish was his grandmother’s.
“This is hearty, warm home cooking,” he said. “We wanted to instill a feeling of nostalgia in our guests.”
Worn wood paneled the walls, and silver chairs and steel embellishments filled the restaurant. Clear, glass bottles clinked as patrons filled them with sauces to take home.
Customers waited in line as employees pieced together meals assembly-line style.
First, proteins, which simmered for about three hours, were plucked from colorful Crock-Pots. Patrons then pointed to sides and sauces they wanted to add to their dishes, finishing at the register to ring up their items.
The room had a relaxed feel, with warm red tones, cool leather lounge chairs and an ambient, hanging light fixture in the center of the ceiling.
“At the end of the day, food is first,” he said. “It’s nourishment. Nourishment for the body, the mind, the soul.”
Manny Rodriguez said he liked the new changes.
“I’m not sad the old place is gone, because I’m happy the new place is here,” said the 31-year-old UF alumnus. “It’s fresh.”
Yume Ume, which replaced Gainesville restaurant staple Rolls ‘n Bolls, hosted its grand opening Thursday. Entrees cost an average of $7 to $9 depending on the type of meat.
