The recently opened space at Besides Umi (stylized as BESIDES Umi) at Velaa Sindhorn is a twist on the classic omakase spot for an afterwork drink destination. 

 

If you don’t know Umi, they’ve been part of the Bangkok Japanese dining scene for more than a decade. They’ve been a big name in accessible omakase, and their latest spot, Besides Umi, is leaning a bit more into the izakaya style.  

 

The menu is divided into small plates—ranging from the simple binjin tomato in dashi jelly (B150) to the abalone with kimo sauce croquette—and sharing plates including charcoal grilled bigfin reef squid (B480). There are also individual single dishes: Yaki Inaniwa udon and an organic ground beef Japanese curry (B400). Things get serious with their sushi platters and raw bar, featuring an omakase sashimi platter and negitoro maki. 

 

The bites are less complicated than you might find around the corner at Umi Veela Sindhorn, which opened around six months ago, but a representative from Umi tells BK that their staff encourages diners to choose from the blackboard and ask staff for their recommendations. 

 

As far as drinks go, you’ll find a healthy helping of (very nice) Amahagan Japanese whiskeys on display as you enter and plenty more above the bar. Highballs start at B260, and they have a menu collection of eleven different Umeshu brands and six sakes. 

 

This new space is a complement to the Velaa Sindhorn branch and the extant Gaysorn space.