We recently visited Ozumo in Bethpage. Named after the "Super Bowl of Sumo wrestling" the restaurant is nestled in a strip mall on Hicksville Road. There is a large square sushi bar when you walk in and a few steps will lead you up a section of tables with chairs that rest of the floor and cut-outs underneath them so your legs can freely dangle. There are other tables scattered throughout the space and a full bar as well. The owner Jenny asks us to remove our shoes, a traditional custom and requirement to sit at one of the cut-out tables, and escorts us up the steps.

• 

  Lychee-Calpilco Jenny wastes no time and brings us some house specialty drinks. The first is a Lychee-Calpilco. Lychee-Calpilcos are traditional Japanese beverages consisting of lychee, sugar and dry milk, usually non-fat. Ours is an adult version, spiked with vodka. It is smooth and refreshing, with a creamy but light consistency. It has a subtle tangy and nutty flavor. It is very good.

• 

  Ozumo Splash We are also brought an Ozuma Splash. It is a mixture of vodka, amaretto, cranberry juice and plum wine. Plum wine is very popular in Japan, referred to as Ume Liquor made by seeping green umes (plums) in clear liquor. The plum flavor blends well with the almond flavor amaretto, making this beverage sweet and easy to sip.

• 

  Green Salad We are brought two salads to eat while we enjoy our beverages. The first is a simple green salad with a homemade chicken ginger dressing. The dressing is light, not super thick like other places have. It has a subtle ginger zest, which is enjoyable as at times the spice can be quite pungent.

• 

  Tofu Salad The other salad is a spring mix with fresh tofu and spicy balsamic vinaigrette. Tofu, also known as bean curd, is made from soy milk. The dressing is silky with a subtle kick and adheres well to the soft tofu.

• 

  Kake Somen Soup We continue with Kake Somen soup. We have never seen this soup on a menu before and are intrigued. Jenny informs us it is a traditional soup often eaten in celebration of one's birthday in Japan. The soup consists of rice noodles, seaweed, and a quail egg in miso soup broth. The soup tastes like miso, but is more filling. The quail egg, much smaller than a typical Chicken egg, is very delicious. We enjoy this very much

• 

  Ice Cream Salad We are brought Ice Cream Salad next. Warning though, you will not find any ice cream in this dish, just a delicious mixture of fish. The dish has octopus, shrimp, crab stick and cucumber blended with a mayo sauce and topped with tobiko. It is served in a bowl full of tempura flakes. The salad is incredibly crunchy and could have used less tempura. Other than that, the sauce was light and the fish super fresh. The octopus, which we sometimes do not care for due to its toughness, was tender and enjoyable.

• 

  Su No Mono Another sashimi styled salad, Su No Mono, follows. Any dish with this name will contain a vinegar sauce as "su" transaltes vinegar in Japanese. Typically these dishes will also include cucumber. This is a similar mixture to the other salad, having octopus, shrimp, crab, salmon and cucumber. However it was served in a sweet vinegar sauce instead. The sauce is super light, containing no soy sauce, and likely just a blend of vinegar, sugar and salt. Like the previous salad, all of the fish is of great quality. The octopus in this one is very moist as well. The dish comes in a large martini glass and resembles a ceviche without the fruit and vegetables. We enjoy this salad over the other one and have to restrain ourselves from becoming too full from it.

• 

  Joel Maki Our first sushi roll, Joel Maki, arrives. The roll was created by a regular customer of theirs and aptly named after him. It contains tuna and avocado inside. It is them topped with alternating pieces of salmon and white tuna and tempura flakes. White tuna can either be from Albacore or Escolar. This roll contained escolar as it was firm, white and oily. Albacore can have more of a subtle pink or brown hue and will not be as slick. Our roll is plated with tempura flakes, seaweed salad and two homemade spicy sauces. One of the sauces is a spicy mayo and the other is wasabi based. The roll is pure and light and tastes better when dipped in the accompanying sauces. The pieces with white tuna are slightly more enjoyable than the ones with salmon. Kudos to Joel on this one.

• 

  Close up.

• 

  Vegetarian Avocado Roll A vegetarian Avocado roll appears next. In a nice, creative twist the roll has ground peanuts along the outside. The avocado inside is rich and creamy and the peanuts provide a great salty crunch. Basic, but quite tasty.

• 

  Chicken Curry We are brought a new dish, Chicken Curry. Jenny is exploring the idea of changing her menu and adding a few new Japanese dishes and brings us this to try. While this one is not on the menu yet, it wouldn't be a bad idea to add it. The dish is chunks of chicken, broccoli, carrots, onions and potatoes cooked in a traditional Japanese curry. Japanese curry is very different from the more recognizable Thai curry which often has coconut milk involved. Japanese curry is typically made from curry powder, oil and flour. Our dish uses a dry curry paste to season the ingredients, which were then quickly stir fried. The dish is not overwhelming spicy, like Thai curries can be. The ingredients are all well cooked and seasoned and we taste a slight hint of brown sugar in this dish. Very good.

• 

  Tokyo Roll We switch back to sushi and try two rolls. The first is the Tokyo Roll. It is cooked yellowtail, eel and avocado inside. The roll is warm with a nice sweet flavor from the eel. You taste the eel over the yellowtail, which more of a soft tasting fish. However, it is still quite enjoyable. It's a good pick for those hesitant to trying sushi and not thrilled about eating raw fish.

• 

  Up close.

• 

  Harvey Roll Next is the Harvey Roll. Ozumo created this roll to appease a customer who does not care for sushi, but often came in anyway since his wife loves it. The roll is chicken tempura, cream cheese and spicy fried garlic. This roll is pretty awesome. We love garlic and the Harvey has robust flavor as garlic is enhanced during the cooking process. It is soft and crunchy at the same time. I will quote Michael on this one, "I don't like tempura, but I like that." A very delicious and creative roll.

• 

  Up close.

• 

  Kid's Pasta We are brought two different pasta dishes next. We have never been served pasta at a Japanese restaurant before. However, the common dish did originate in China and is used throughout Japan. The first we sample is a Kid's Pasta. It is elbow noodles with melted cheddar and mozzarella cheese. It is tasty, but nothing special.

• 

  Japanese Pasta The next one is a Japanese Pasta. This is another dish that Ozumo is playing with for their new menu. It is a mix of homemade tomato sauce with Japanese peppers and mozzarella cheese. It seems more Italian/American than Japanese and we have our doubts, but it is actually pretty good. There is a nice spiciness to it. It may be good for those who do not enjoy fish, but may seem a little out of place on the menu on its own.

• 

  Purple Haze We try two more specialty drinks at this point. We are brought a Purple Haze, a mixture of sake and Chambord. Chambord is a raspberry flavored liqueur. This one a tad strong for our liking, however it does have a nice light taste.
  
  Blue-Lychee-Calpic We also have a Blue-Lychee-Calpico. It contains the same ingredients as the other Lychee-Calpico with the addition of Blue Curacao. The Blue Curacao, is made from the dried peel of the laraha citrus fruit, sugar and wine and is mixed with blue food coloring for a pleasant appearance. The liquor really enhances the flavor making for a nice, smooth, sweet taste. It is our favorite beverage of the night.

• 

  Sashimi Platter We are next brought a sushi and sashimi platter which comes with an Ozumo Roll. The platter contains tuna, salmon, shrimp, yellowtail, white tuna, squid and snapper.
  
  Tuna The tuna has a bland taste and is a little tough.
  
  Salmon The salmon, is very light and not fishy at all.
  
  Shrimp The shrimp is flavorful and light.
  
  Yellowtail The yellowtail is rich, clean and subtle. Very good.
  
  White Tuna The white tuna is the best of the bunch. It is slick, tender and butter like.
  
  Squid The squid is chewy, but moist.
  
  Snapper The snapper is delicious and pure.
  
  

• 

  Ozumo Roll The Ozumo Roll is barbequed eel, toasted salmon and cucumber inside. The roll is a little basic and a good choice for beginners. Again the eel overpowers the toasted fish inside and this roll lacks a little something.

• 

  Salmon and Tuna Tataki We are brought a mixture of Salmon and Tuna Tataki. Tatki is a popular Japanese appetizer, literally translating into "hit into pieces". That refers to the small slices of thin fish, which is seared on the outside yet left raw in the middle. Most restaurants offer a tuna tataki, but it was nice to see salmon offered too. The two usually come separate, but we are lucky enough to sample them both together. The salmon and tuna are well spiced around the edges and perfectly seared. The dish is served with a ring of spicy mayo and wasabi sauce. The dish has a great spice and a strong black pepper taste. Their homemade wasabi sauce is one of the best we have ever had. The salmon and tuna are both incredibly tender, but the tuna is a tad more enjoyable. Overall a very good tataki dish.

• 

  Daihachi Roll We close the evening with two more sushi rolls. The first is the Daihachi. The roll has spicy crab stick and smoked eel inside. It is then topped with cooked salmon. The roll has a spicy undertone and is very flavorful. The crab stick inside is thick and light. The imitation crab Ozumo uses is very tasty. Imitation crab is made out of finely minced white fish flesh, typically Pollack, and shaped to resemble the meat from a crab leg. The cooked salmon is a standout here and generously covers the top of the roll.

• 

  Paul and Michele Roll The Paul and Michele ends our night of sushi. It is a mix of spicy tuna, yellowtail and salmon inside. It is then topped with slices of tuna. If craving a tuna roll, this is a very choice. The mixed fishes inside all blend well together and are light, not overloaded with mayo. The roll has a clean, spicy taste.

• 

  Up close.

• 

  Tempura Brownies To our surprise we are brought two desserts and cups of delicious pomegranate green tea. The first is Tempura Brownies with a mango sauce and chocolate ice cream. The brownies are covered with a tempura batter and then fried. All tempura batter starts with cold water and wheat flour. The brownie is tasty and rich and could easily stand on its own without the tempura, which does not do much to enhance the flavor. The combination of the mango sauce and the brownie is not my favorite either.

• 

  The brownies.

• 

  Tempura Banana The other dessert, Tempura Banana fares better. This dish is served with vanilla ice cream topped with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. The bananas are cut into small pieces are served plated with honey. The bananas are soft and flavorful, though not as sweet as I would have imagined. The honey is a good addition, adding the perfect touch of sweetness. Dipping a piece of the banana in the vanilla ice cream is not a bad idea either.