YUZU LAKEWOOD JOINS NEO SPORTS INSIDERS!

NEO Sports Insiders is proud to announce our partnership with YUZU Lakewood as they have become our newest sponsor for High School Football. They will have a special focus on St. Edward and Lakewood football coverage.

You can visit them here on the web http://www.yuzulakewood.com/

They are located at 13603 Madison Ave
Lakewood, OH  44107

If you haven’t stopped out to YUZU Lakewood yet, then you’re are really missing out on some the best food and lively entertainment available in North East Ohio. I was there on a recent Wednesday night for Trivia, and was blown away at the quality of service and product.  Despite the fact they were packed, it didn’t matter, both remained excellent throughout the night!  5 stars all the way for YUZU Lakewood.

I recently sat down and spoke with YUZU Lakewood owner David Bumba to learn more about this incredible establishment.

1 – When did you open YUZU Lakewood and what made you decide to do so?

Yuzu opened in May 2016 and there were a few key factors in my decision to open. I felt like it was the right place (the work we needed to do to convert the space), at the right time (Lakewood has always been a great neighborhood and they’ve recently focus a renewed attention to Madison Ave), and for the right price.

 

2 – What unique concepts and forms of entertainment does YUZU Lakewood bring that other bars / restaurants in the area do not?

One of the most important parts of our business was to be an approachable “happy medium” between a dive bar and an upscale bistro– Global comfort food, craft cocktails, casual atmosphere.  Locals also appreciate that our kitchen is open until 2am everyday except Sunday. The cocktail menu is creative, affordable, and doesn’t take itself too seriously.  We have pet-friendly patio which we are remodeling to be even nicer for the 2017 season. And we also host a variety of themed (and sometimes eccentric) special events.

3 – What are the 4 or 5 signature items on your menu. 

Some of our most popular dishes include:

– Our Signature Yuzu Fries; they are topped with chives, panko breadcrumbs & cusabi dressing.  Cusabi is a cucumber aioli with a touch of wasabi, which creates a unique, tangy, refreshing experience.

– Korean Beef Bowl; if you like spicy, this is for you! Our take on beef bulgogi blends brown sugar, soy, ginger, red pepper flakes, garlic, green onion, and our Korean Sriracha which is created in-house.

– Thai Beef Bowl; a savory, sweet dish with a touch of spice, we take sirloin tender tips with crushed roasted peanuts, green onion, and thai peanut sauce to create a warming crowd-pleasing dish.

– Pork Belly Kushitori ; Kushitori pretty much means “meat on a stick” and our pork belly is one of our most popular grilled cuts.  It’s braised with a traditional Japanese “tare” sauce; a thick, sweet soy sauce-based marinate.

 

4 – St. Edward and Lakewood High School both have passionate fan bases when it comes to their sports teams.  Why do you feel that is and how does it make you feel that YUZU is now the official sponsor of both of their football teams this fall?

Both schools have great fans because they are proud and active participants in their community. It’s one of the reasons we were attracted to Lakewood in particular as a place to operate our small business; it’s a close-knit, progressively-minded and highly-participatory  neighborhood that genuinely cares of about positive growth and prosperity.

 

5 – Any drink specials you want to promote?

The weekly specials usually include food/drinks everyday of the week. Mondays | Meatless Monday (all vegetarian rice bowls are 50% off)

Tuesdays | Teriyaki Tuesday (chicken teriyaki is 50% off)

Wednesdays | Whiskey Wednesday (all whiskey/bourbon is 50% off)

Thursdays | Noodle Night ($5 Ramen all night)

Fridays | FRYday (50% off Yuzu Fries till 6pm)

Saturdays | Bingo Brunch from 12:30-2:30pm; win prizes & play for free!

 

6 – What have some of the topics been on Wednesday night trivia night?

Sometimes we mix up the dates of trivia, but it’s almost always on a mid-week Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday.  People really love the themes, and the most popular ones have included Bob’s Burgers, Disney, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

 

7 – Have any local celebs dined there? Maybe! But I’m not the best one to ask; I’ve never been good at spotting celebrities and usually the staff point them out. One that I remember in our earliest days was local comedian Bill Squire from the Alan Cox show. We were very excited to hear him say good things about us on the show the next day!