Dining at Durham’s Tomo Japanese Steak House on the Friday night of Homecoming weekend was like being in ST Lab during game seven between the Red Sox and the Yankees— we were almost the only ones there.
That’s not to say that Tomo gave the impression of a regularly bustling hotspot. An empty table seems like an all-too-familiar sight at this sub-par sushi bar.
To start off with, the sushi at Tomo is only so-so. Though I often professed never to have met a sushi I did not like, the Sushi Deluxe plate, consisting of nine pieces of a variety of sushi, a tuna roll and a special hand roll brought me close to changing my mind.
The fish was tough and not very flavorful, and the rice crumbled at the slightest touch of a chopstick. Sushi rice is normally treated with some rice vinegar, but that tangy flavor was lacking in the items we tried.
Unagi Don, an entrée of toasted eel on a bed of seasoned rice, was somewhat more flavorful thanks to its soy-based sauce, but the fish in this dish suffered from the same toughness and lack of vitality noted in the sushi platter.
The hibachi grill items were even more disappointing. Prime Rib Hibachi promised succulent and tender meaty flavors with a bed of sautéed vegetables. This potential was not to be reached; in addition to being nearly flavorless, the meat was overcooked and stringy, despite our request that it be medium-rare.
A sushi and steak house that fails to produce good sushi or steak does not leave much room for redeeming qualities. And if the poor quality of food were not bad enough, Tomo’s ceramic tile floor, the dim lighting from fake, fake Tiffany lamps and the shabby booths created a depressing atmosphere, reminding one of my guests of a Soviet-era sauna room.
The service also left something to be desired. Of the two waitresses working that night, only about half a person spoke enough English for us to communicate our order. Once this was accomplished, the waitress unflatteringly attempted to persuade us to order more food and more expensive items.
Though it did not quite make the trip worthwhile, our dessert of fried red bean ice cream was delicious. The menu also offers green tea, vanilla, banana and ginger flavors.
The extensive menu of sakes and a number of Japanese beers were a few other redeeming qualities.
Tomo can do the basics like tempura, noodles and miso soup, but if sushi’s what you want, don’t bother driving to Durham. For the price, you would be better off sticking to either of the two Middletown options or just going to Weshop for a California roll.
Tomo Japanese Steak House * (one of four stars)
339 Main Street, Durham; (860) 349-0077
Take South Main Street (Route 17) to Durham. Tomo is on the left hand side when you enter town.
Hours:
Lunch served Monday to Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dinner served, Monday to Thursday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday, 5.p.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday, 12:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday 12:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Atmosphere: The décor is strange and the place is eerily empty, even on a weekend night.
Recommended dishes:
Always order sushi a la carte or sushi entrées over hibachi grill menu items.
Price range: Lunch, appetizers, $4 to $7, sushi, $8 to $11, entrees $7 to $11; Dinner, appetizers, $4 to $9, sushi $2 to $10, maki rolls, $6 to $13, entrees, $11 to $23, desserts $3-$4.
Leave a Reply