In the Foodies of Rocklin/Roseville Facebook group, Uji Dugar promoted Mongolian dumplings lovingly made from scratch by her Mongolian mama, Gana, the owner and chef of Sumo Sushi.
Buuz are the bigger dumplings (i.e., size of potsticker), while bansh are the smaller version (i.e., size of mini wonton). She wraps them uniquely into a "sheep" shape. The filling is made of beef, onion, and garlic. In Mongolia, lamb is common, but she is using beef at her restaurant. You can order either Beef Buuz, Vegetarian Buuz, or Beef Bansh steamed or pan-fried daily at the restaurant. You can also buy them frozen to go! Minimum order is 10 pieces then you can buy in increments of 5 pieces.
Via Facebook Messenger, I messaged and made a reservation days in advance with Uji for a unique cultural and culinary experience to eat bansh served in an authentic Mongolian milk tea AND in a beef vegetable soup. I was so spoiled by Gana who made me two separate soups to try that day! If enough customers show interest, she could add one or both soups to the regular menu. Every person would order their own bowl of soup. If you go, specify in advance how many bowls of each type of soup you would like. Order the soups at least 1 day in advance, so Gana can prep the beef bone broth and bring special ingredients from home.
My friend and I ate lightly before having dinner at Sumo Sushi. We wanted to leave space in our stomachs to try 2 different soups!
Bansh in the milk tea was served first. The milk tea is made with Mongolian tea, milk, rice, and ghee. Light, creamy, and mild in flavor. It reminded me of congee, salty soy milk, and rice pudding. Comforting to eat. I imagine babies would like this. I would eat it if I were sick or sad. I would enjoy it for lunch or brunch. It feels like a Chinese breakfast item. My friend said she'd have it as an afternoon snack. $15 per bowl.
We then were served bansh in a rich beef vegetable soup. Beef bones had been stewed for hours the night before to make this hearty soup. Vegetables included potatoes, carrots, and onions. Soup was full of tender slices of beef. So yummy! This is a meal in a bowl. $16 per bowl.
Because my friend showed interest in trying the buuz next time, Gana kindly brought each of 2 pan-fried buuz to try. So juicy! I saw the meat juice burst out as my friend bit into her first dumpling. Might be the best dumpling I've ever had served in a restaurant!
Gana was so sweet to check on us throughout our meal. I even took a picture with her!
When I messaged with Uji, I could tell how much she loved and admired her mother's cooking. She and her siblings adore the milk tea the most. However, as her mother suspects and is likely correct, the beef vegetable soup will appeal to more people.
The soups are served in beautiful Japanese ramen bowls. The bowls are not filled up to the brim, but a dozen mini dumplings in a rich or creamy soup will satisfy your tummy. Take time to admire the bowls, both inside and outside. My bowls had a red dragon design and a cute smiling cats design. They might be made by Mino Ware. Yes, the ramen bowls were so pretty that I surfed the web where to buy them!
For my 1st visit in March 2021, I went during Happy Hour. I ordered the bargain-priced Sake Bomb. You drop a teacup of sake into a beer stein. I didn't know how to do a sake bomb at the time and was too chicken to do what the server suggested, but I have since learned from YouTube videos!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkDmq2dLmKw (quick lesson)
https://youtu.be/CUYbjqrGeP0?t=314 (fun lesson)
I ordered 3 sushi rolls from the 50% off menu: Lion King roll, Tiger roll, and maybe a Lemon Salmon roll, which is a customer favorite. Rolls seemed thinner compared to other sushi restaurants. You'll notice the sauces on the rolls. Rolls were OK.
People get excited by the value of the 5 roll offer. As of 10/22, you can get 5 rolls for $39.
During both visits, it was easy to feel a bit lost and ignored upon arrival. Just seat yourself at any table then wait for someone to come to your table to help you. This might not be efficient as you'd like. Unfortunately, there is no dedicated host to greet and seat you. The employees are multi-tasking: They work behind the sushi bar or in the kitchen and serve the customers. Such is the state of restaurants in this post-COVID world with the employee shortage and wariness of customers dining in.
No outdoor dining at this restaurant.
My 1st visit was 3 stars overall and 2nd visit was an outstanding 5 stars, so I will average for 4 stars and hope to upgrade soon in the future. May the Mongolian dumpling menu be a huge success, so I'll be able to order the soups anytime! Best wishes to Gana and Sumo Sushi. Thank you so much for such a magical meal! read more