Palatine's Sumo balances steak, sushi

Sumo Japanese Steak & Sushi tries to combine two hot cuisine trends: sushi and Teppanyaki cooking, in which the chef cooks on an iron grill at tableside.

The contemporary decor is sleek and straightforward, dominated by several grills and hoods and a long sushi bar, a single window, and a TV showing Sumo wrestling matches.

Our three guest diners visited at lunch, a quiet contrast to the more bustling dinner hour.

Combining cuisines proved a bit uneven at times. Our waitress didn't bring our sushi order until after the Teppanyaki was cooked, so the hot food cooled off while we ate our appetizer.

Sumo promises a show of the preparation, but it was soon over with little razzmatazz or comment from our chef.

Nevertheless, Sumo has potential for a fun dinner outing. The combination of foods pleases a variety of diners, and the extensive sake list aims to be unparallelled in the area.

Here's what our panel thought:

Dale Bugno, 54, of Arlington Heights

What I ordered: Sashimi dinner ($17.95)

Taste and presentation: The presentation was nice. Good use of herbs and parsley, and the apple slices were a nice touch. It's a good selection of fish. For the sashimi lover this is an acceptable dinner. It's a nice selection and quantity.

Atmosphere and service: It really looks like it has potential for a good Friday night. The chef needs to tighten up his show a little.

Good if you want: A good variety of sashimi.

Beverlee Stepien, 58, of Hoffman Estates

What I ordered: Filet mignon and garlic shrimp ($13.95)

Taste and presentation: I thought garlic shrimp would be nice and garlicky, but it was kind of bland. I was surprised it came with egg yolk on top of it. I was disappointed they didn't ask how I wanted the steak cooked. It was well-done.

Atmosphere and service: I was looking forward to it because I like that type of food. It was kind of a typical Japanese steakhouse.

Good if you want: If you are a big fan of Japanese steakhouses. Make sure to get a good explanation of what you're ordering and make sure you tell them how you want your steak prepared.

John Baumgart, 41, of Hoffman Estates

What I ordered: Hibachi shrimp & scallops ($12.95)

Taste and presentation: The grilled food had too much Worcestershire sauce. The scallops were cooked right.

Atmosphere and service: I have no problem with the atmosphere. The coordination of the meal was a little off.

Good if you want: Sushi in downtown Palatine.