ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Foodies are flocking to a new full-service restaurant – offering sushi, lo mein, pad Thai, tempura, fried rice and other Asian specialties – in Lehigh County.
Ume Asian Cuisine, a restaurant that blends Japanese, Chinese and Thai cuisine to offer a “diverse gastronomic experience,” held a soft opening Aug. 30 at 840 Hamilton St., Suite 100 in downtown Allentown.
The renovated space, on the ground floor of the Alvin H. Butz Corporate Center, previously housed other dining establishments, including American-continental restaurant Sangria, breakfast and lunch eatery Billy’s Downtown Diner and, most recently, Red Ticket Cafe, known for its flavorful, scratch-made food.
Billy’s continues to operate locations in Bethlehem and Easton, while Red Ticket continues to operate a food truck.
Ume, with seating for around 120 customers, offers soups and salads such as miso soup, tom yum soup and kani salad; kitchen appetizers such as chicken lettuce wraps, Thai crispy calamari, pan-fried or steamed pork and vegetable dumplings and beef, chicken, shrimp or squid skewers; and sushi bar appetizers such as gyoza, shumai, salmon or tuna tartar and Thai summer rolls with shrimp.
There are also classic sushi rolls ($5.50-$9) such as California, Philadelphia and shrimp tempura; and specialty rolls ($14-$18) such as Crazy Tuna (spicy tuna, asparagus and mango inside, topped with pepper tuna, mango and sweet soy sauce) and Ume (spicy salmon, yellowtail, asparagus, sun-dried grape and jalapeno inside, topped with spicy tuna, avocado and sliced tuna, served with chili miso sauce and rice cracker).
Popular rolls in the business’ first week include spicy salmon, Dynamite (spicy tuna and avocado topped with spicy crabmeat) and Hamilton Tower (shrimp tempura, avocado and cucumber, topped with lobster meat salad, jalapeno pepper chili and sweet soy sauce), owner Ping Liu said.
Customers also can choose from a wide variety of a la carte sushi or sashimi such as eel, red snapper, salmon roe and scallop; and beef, chicken, pork, seafood and vegetable dishes such as Mongolian beef, sweet and sour chicken, Hunan pork, Thai basil shrimp and eggplant with garlic sauce.
“So far, people are really loving our General Tso’s chicken, chicken and broccoli and spicy tuna and spicy salmon rolls,” Ping said.
Ping’s husband is helping her run Ume, and the Upper Macungie Township couple – with more than 30 years of regional restaurant experience – is excited to offer a new dining option in downtown Allentown.
“The community is also really excited,” Ping said.
“We have only been open one week, and we’re already getting a lot of positive feedback. One customer has come in every day for the past seven days. We’re also seeing a lot of office workers coming in to eat, and everyone is saying how happy they are to have a new restaurant like this downtown.”
Ume customers also can enjoy an array of teriyaki, tempura, noodle soup, pad Thai, lo mein, mei fun (rice noodle) and fried rice selections, including teriyaki scallop and steak, shrimp and vegetable tempura, tonkotsu ramen, shrimp pad Thai, pork lo mein, Singapore mei fun and pineapple fried fried with chicken or shrimp.
More than a dozen Ume Specials, $14-$23, include popular dishes such as orange chicken or beef, sesame chicken or shrimp and “Happy Family” (half lobster tail, jumbo shrimp, scallops, chicken, beef and pork with Chinese vegetables in brown sauce).
Pepper images next to menu items denote spicy dishes.
There are also sushi lunch combos (miso soup, salad and two rolls for $12; and miso soup, salad and three rolls for $15), along with various Chinese and Thai lunch and dinner combos, $10-$14.
“Japanese cuisine uses fresh ingredients and exquisite craftsmanship to present you with authentic and delicious sushi, sashimi, and ramen dishes,” a message on Ume’s website reads.
“Chinese cuisine uses traditional cooking techniques and selects premium ingredients to bring you aromatic and flavorful classic dishes. Thai flavors are fresh, spicy, and sour, allowing you to experience the passion and vitality of Southeast Asia.”
Ume, featuring a full bar with beer, wine and sake, is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 9 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
Catering is available, and the restaurant also has a private party room.
Ume's debut follows the recent opening of another new full-service restaurant, , on downtown Allentown's Hamilton Street.
For more information or to place a take-out order, call 610-435-999 or visit ume840.com.
