City officials welcomed Umi Buffet, a new Chinese/Japanese American fusion restaurant in the Shoprite Plaza at 49 Pershing Drive, which opened for business on Thursday (March 13). Left to right are: employee Jeffrey Weng, the owner's son; Aldermanic President George Kurtyka; Alderwoman Amy Pettinichi; plaza owner Joe Cingari; Mayor Joe DiMartino; restaurant manager Missy Lin; restaurant co-owner Zhen Weng; Valley Chamber of Commerce President Bill Purcell and restaurant co-owner Andy Weng.
DERBY – Umi Buffet, a new restaurant featuring a fusion of Chinese, Japanese and American food, along with sushi and a Hibachi grill, opened for business in the Shoprite Plaza on Thursday (March 13).
Mayor Joseph DiMartino, along with several city officials and Valley Chamber of Commerce President Bill Purcell, welcomed the restaurant, located at 49 Pershing Drive with an official ribbon ceremony.
The restaurant’s co-owners, Zhen Weng and his brother Andy Weng, own several other restaurants in Boston, New York and West Virginia, and have more than 30 years experience in the industry.
Restaurant manager Missy Lin and her sister Tara Lin, who are the wives of the co-owners, said bringing their family’s love of fusion cuisine to Derby was a no-brainer.
“There’s nothing like this buffet in Derby, which is why we came here,” said Missy Lin. “And we just really love this area.”
The 6.500-square-foot restaurant offers more than 150 items from beef with broccoli and California rolls to General Tso’s chicken and shrimp with garlic sauce. In addition to the ‘all you can eat’ buffet offerings, Umi also has Hibachi entrees from chicken and steak to salmon and shrimp. Umi is also a sushi lovers’ paradise, offering everything from tuna, salmon and spicy maki.
Jeffrey Weng, an employee and the son of co-owner Zhen Weng, said he’s excited to be in Derby and give people a taste of the food his family loves. The family recently moved to Derby from Kentucky and New York to open Umi.
The space now occupied by Umi previously housed the Chinese Buffet restaurant, which city officials said closed about five years ago after the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
“We just hope people come by and enjoy the food, and they come in here and enjoy the beautiful Koi fish my grandfather gave me and the surroundings,” Jeffrey Weng said. “We offer a fusion here; there’s Chinese food, there’s Japanese sushi and a Hibachi grill so you just grab your plate and pick out whatever you like.”
DiMartino said he’s excited to have Umi in Derby.
“I met the owners a couple times at city hall and they are very excited to get the business off the ground,” DiMartino said. “We’re very excited to have them here in Derby.”
Teresa Overton, of Shelton, was glad to see Umi open. She was at the grand opening Thursday with her mom, and tried a variety of things from the expansive buffet, including some shrimp, crab legs, an egg roll and some mushrooms.
“My mom heard they were opening here, and we had to check it out,” Overton said. “We used to come here when it was a similar buffet, which was very popular, but they closed a few years ago. I’m definitely glad to see the space filled again.”
The owners are renting the space from plaza owner Joe Cingari, whose family owns 12 other Shoprite stores throughout Connecticut. Cingari bought the plaza in the early 2000s and was glad to see the vacant space filled.
“This is great, the space has been empty for about five or six years and the family did a really great job with it.” Cingari said. “Umi brings new life into the shopping center.”
Umi Buffet is open from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. They offer both dine-in and take-out. The restaurant can be reached at 203 – 516-5233 or 203 – 516-5228.
