Mizumi: Fresh, Fun
Mizumi Sushi & Seafood Buffet
231-10 Northern Blvd., Douglaston
(718) 229-86868
Hours: Lunch 11:30 am-3:30 pm; dinner 5:30-10 pm, 7 days
Reservations: Accepted for large parties
Credit Cards: All major
Parking: Lot
For the last decade or so, my best friend and I have been traveling the City, and the world, looking for good sushi, so when the Mizumi Sushi and Seafood Buffet opened its doors in Douglaston, it seemed like a logical stop, and one that did not disappoint.
Mizumi, located at the former site of P&B Seville Diner at 231-10 Northern Blvd. in Douglaston, right in the heart of Alley Pond Park, has only been opened for a couple of months, but owner Ken said the restaurant has been gaining a steady flow of customers for lunch and dinner seatings. There is only one rule when you come here: come hungry. So no snacking before; you’re going to need every last inch of your stomach.
When we arrived, we were promptly seated in one of the two dining rooms, separated from the buffet tables with Eastern-inspired fencing that seemed to rise from rock gardens outlining the dining area. The aura of the restaurant seemed to mesh Eastern culture with Western design. There are two dedicated dining areas: one facing Northern Boulevard, the other facing east into the parking lot. At the corner of the restaurant is a dedicated party area for large events.
Immediately after arriving at the table, our waitress took our drink orders. All non-alcoholic beverages have free refills, so enjoy your never-ending cup of tea or Diet Coke.
Now it’s time for the piece de resistance, the buffet itself. Roughly a quarter of the entire buffet is sushi and sashimi. Each piece of sashimi is served in a tiny bowl. The classics are all there: salmon, tuna, fluke and yellowtail. The fish is chilled and very fresh. Sushi chefs are constantly replenishing the supply with noticeably fresh cuts of fish. My personal favorite, unagi, or eel, melted in my mouth like butter. I went back for seconds.
Mizumi has an array of rolls. My personal favorites were the fried tuna roll and the tuna lover’s roll, a spicy tuna roll topped with a piece of fresh tuna sushi. I would also recommend the Tai (snapper), Taki (octopus), and the Kani (crab meat). Don’t worry about the sushi’s quality: you’d be hard-pressed to find this quality in Tokyo.
Back at your table, your friendly and attentive wait staff will have your soy sauce and chopsticks ready when you return with your treats.
Mizumi offers a wide-variety of cuisine beyond raw fish. The raw bar is a delightful treat with raw clams, oysters and snow crab legs. Crackers are left at your table for the snow crab legs, which are filled to the brim with fresh crab meat. The buffet also offers a choice of soups. I recommend the miso, one of the best I’ve ever tasted.
The buffet seems endless. I went back for four different courses, my friend for five. I sampled the Chilean Sea Bass with Miso Glaze; a tender explosion of taste. I had quite a few servings of that. Don’t pass up the pork gyoza, yakitori or shrimp shumai. For the daring, I suggest the grilled squid salad. For the diet-conscious, try the Japanese Caesar salad for a unique treat full of flavor. You’ll wish you had gone for more.
Then of course there’s the dessert. Be sure to leave room for it. The soft-serve ice cream is uniquely satisfying. My friend and I had the green tea variety, which tasted like freshly brewed tea when it melted on your tongue. Also, don’t forget Mizumi’s wide-array of fruits. Their selection of cakes is inviting. Each slice is cut into bite-sized pieces that simply won’t be enough to satisfy your taste buds, so take a few. My suggestion: go with the red velvet and the green-tea cake. Both are perfect endings to this epic meal.
For the price (the lunch buffet is $17.95 Mon-Fri, $21.95 on the weekend, while the dinner buffet is $28.95 during the week and $31.95 on the weekends), this is an excellent selection of food. As long as you come hungry and with a diverse palate, it is more than worth it. For more information and a list of the full menu, go to mizumi-ny.com.
-Domenick Rafter