If, by some cruel twist of fate, I were forced to pick one cuisine to eat for the rest of my life -- unthinkable, I know I'd pick sushi in a heartbeat.

From ankimo (monkfish liver) to ama ebi (sweet shrimp), the Richmond area has offered me opportunities to try a surprisingly large variety of raw goodness for a city of its size.

Come to think of it, the area's sushi options have grown exponentially in the past few years. From "all you can eat" Japanese buffets to upscale haunts idolizing tradition, there's much to choose from.

With all the options, how do you choose where to go?

For me, it comes down to the details.

Many local menus are virtually identical -- California rolls, sashimi usuals and probably something with cream cheese. So the little details -- how delicately the fish is cut, how knowledgeable the servers are, how appealing the dining area is, and how each selection is presented -- often determine if I'll readily return.

When it opened in mid-2005, Ichiban quickly became one of my western Henrico County favorites, so after hearing that Umi Sushi Bistro, Short Pump's newest sushi outlet, was created by the same people, I was eager to give it a whirl.

Our Friday dinner was passable, but it was in those little details that Umi fell short.

Situated across from Short Pump TownCenter, Umi serves both sushi basics (spicy tuna rolls and eel nigiri) and cooked fare teriyaki ($13-$19), tempura ($13-$16) and nightly specials, such as plum duck ($26).

More notable, however, is its sake menu ($16-$105), which includes detailed tasting notes.

As we approached the restaurant, we were excited to see outdoor seating, but the fact that it was practically in the parking lot took away from the novelty.

Umi's décor is more cosmopolitan than its strip-mall locale implies. Eggplant walls and dim lighting give a moody aura to the small dining area and long, brightly lit sushi bar set off by bamboo dividers.

We were seated near the back beside the bar, all aglow with oceanic blue under lighting, flickering flat-screen TV and, unfortunately, harsh fluorescence coming from the nearby kitchen door.

I appreciate cleanliness, especially in a sushi bar, but the strong smell of cleaning solution emanating from the kitchen was one of those details that turned me off.

The bartender, also our main server, was friendly but, subsequently, not readily available. When a nearby table of four had to yell across the restaurant for their check, we wondered if the place needed more staff.

Umi's unnecessary number of menus three hefty, leather-covered books listing drinks, cooked items and specials and a slip of paper listing sushi options -- didn't make ordering very user-friendly.

After flipping back and forth among all the reading material, we started with gyoza (pan-seared pork and vegetable dumplings, $5), seaweed salad ($5), sea scallop ($2.95) and yellowtail sashimi ($2.50).

We had no trouble inhaling the lightly browned, addictively savory dumplings and sesame-seed-studded salad, but after experiencing how vibrantly fresh and clean-tasting the sashimi was, I wondered why most of Umi's rolls overwhelmed the flavor of the fish with other ingredients.

The mushy, pastelike texture of the Godzilla roll ($10.95) -- spicy tuna and avocado topped with caviar and "crunchy" -- was somewhat redeemed by an intriguing combination of honey wasabi, spicy pineapple and sweet eel sauces dramatically swirled across the plate. If only the overall flavor had been as impressive as the presentation.

The Ichiban roll ($10.95) -- Maryland crab, spicy tuna, caviar, avocado and "crunchy" -- was even mushier. Inside, too much mayo made the two types of fish indistinguishable. It also seemed the much-needed crunch factor had been forgotten.

The Richmond roll ($12.95), however, was a treat. The subtle flavors of shrimp tempura and avocado were elevated by the robustness of eel. Crunchy, sweet, savory it was a perfect combination of flavors and textures.

Currently, the execution of Umi's menu and the friendly, yet seemingly overwhelmed, staff don't live up to the level of quality dictated by the restaurant's chic décor and impressive presentation. Until these details are addressed, the Richmond area has too many other sushi restaurants vying for attention. Freelance writer and graphic designer Dana Craig considers dessert the most important food group. The Times-Dispatch pays for the meals on her unannounced visits to restaurants. Contact her at dcraig@timesdispatch.com.