Amy and Ben Snyder cheer with breaded scallops and wontons.

Text and Photos
By Shari Benyousky
Guest Writer

Column Note: In column 77 of the Diners and Dives series, some Warsaw Breakfast Optimist Club members explore Syracuse.

SYRACUSE — Kiyomi is a Japanese name consisting of two parts. Kiyo means pure and mi means beauty. 404 S. Huntington St. in Syracuse. Kiyomi Japanese Restaurant at is a hit with this brand with its amazing presentations and fresh, quality food.

Smiles, Tails, Chopsticks

We’ve rounded up a mix of wildcards who came together because of their love of sushi, or at least their curiosity for Japanese food. The first Wildcard to arrive was Ben Bingham. Underground Hound A big Kiyomi enthusiast who booked a table in Warsaw.

Kelly brings shrimp and sweet potato sushi rolls.

“Look,” Ben told us happily. “If I’m in Syracuse, I’m here in Kiyomi.” He started the meal by ordering edamame appetizers for the table. Edamame is a steamed soybean dish still in its shell and served with salt. To enjoy, squeeze and pop the pods until the beans pop into your mouth.

Wildcards Ben and Amy Snyder were next. Guide Pole InsuranceThey are both regulars at Kiyomi’s. “This is my favorite place!” Ben greeted owner Kelly and her mother and ordered a huge plate of sushi.

Our final wild card was general manager David Neff. Kosciusko Senior Services. David, new to Kiyomi, perused the menu before deciding on the Chicken Teriyaki bento box. Regular Funeral Planner Brittany Lyons nodded when she arrived. “I know Brittany. A long time ago, when I was single and on a date, she came to my desk and said to me: ‘We’ve got those old diapers for you, Dave.’ I had a lot of explaining to do about my date!

Bad, Green, Bloated

Before our food arrived, we passed Halloween hats around, prompting mixed groans and laughter as to who would wear which. Other customers looked on and we offered extra hats to anyone who wanted to join in the fun. Shout out to Ariana, Abby, and Jerry, who proudly wore ridiculous hats with us while eating sushi.

Amy Snyder offered tongue-in-cheek advice to Realtor Jeff Owens, who was hesitant about a giant hat with giant eyes. “You’re always eyeing something. You better put one on your head!” We knew right away that Amy was just like us.

Old Friends, Feathered Friends, Beautiful Fish

A curious reader might wonder what connects the senior center, dog grooming studio, and sushi place, but one look at the long table of people laughing and sharing great food and connections and you see everything falls into place.

Realtor Jeff Owens chuckled. “In the Venn diagram of this whole mess, I connect with Senior Services by delivering mobile meals.” Owens was also the emcee of the Senior Center’s recent Dueling Pianos Fundraiser.

An order of hot edamame.

Bringing this “Venn diagram” to life takes ingenuity, skill, and guts, and Kiyomi’s owner Kelly delivers on all three. She giggled at us and brought out sushi trays, bento boxes, and food baskets filled with “oohs” and “aahs.” His mother, also part of the family business, made sure we had hot tea, chopsticks and sauces; added a nice stuffed avocado ball with spicy tuna and special sauce.

Between sweet potato, shrimp and cucumber rolls, I asked David Neff about his role at Senior Services, which provides Mobile Meals, van transportation for the disabled and the Senior Activities Center. “This is the only job where I am considered young, tall and handsome!” he joked.

Speaking of good looks, Senior Services will be hosting a Halloween luncheon next Thursday and David will be dressed as Clark Kent. You may also see Amy dressed as Chili Pepper or Ben as Obi-One-Kenobi. The connection between Snyder’s and Guidepost Insurance is that they sponsor lunches and bingos at SAC.

Neff, who chose the mummy hat, told us the stories of the colorful senior students we encountered during his time as director. He obviously likes what comes through SAC. “I’ve learned over the years that we’re all just a few chemical imbalances or careless steps in need of something like that.”

I asked Amy what a Bingo player could win at one of the monthly Bingo events. “Oh, simple things like toilet paper, tissues, cookies, home decor, paper plates. They love household items.”

Ben Snyder added: “The most popular is Crunch’n Munch or Fiddle Faddle.”

Aging, Shaking, Rolling

Realtor Owens held up the giant bowl of Udon Noodle Soup and turned to Underground Hound Ben Bingham, “So, just to get you hooked, how many of your dogs are seniors?”

David Neff loves his first time at Kiyomi.

Bingham pointed with his chopsticks. “Actually, the majority of my customers were seniors.” Underground Hound specializes in stress-free, cage-free dog care. “We love building relationships with each dog, so nothing is scary.” They care for 100-130 dogs a week and have 12 groomers.

Bingham is also devoting his time to building a cabin in North Carolina. “From scratch,” he explained. “I even do all my timber milling from my own land. But my little town was flooded and washed away in the hurricane, so all my lumber is now carrying the last two salvageable buildings in town.”

“Are you building your own cabin?” Orthopedic Consultant Kris Williams finished the last of his miso soup and muttered, “This was the best miso soup I’ve ever had.”

“I learned how to do this from my father in UP.” Bingham showed us pictures of his progress. “And down there, if there’s something you don’t know how to do, there’s a bunch of old men to tell you. But right now everything is on hold.”

Clean Paws, Warm Hearts, Bold Flavors

Ben Snyder was still working on his sushi plate. He and his wife, Amy, also have experience in the wilderness. Long before insurance, they were once missionaries in Africa. Ben’s path took many twists and turns: he learned to fly and repair a bush plane, had a doctorate in biblical studies and was an Anglican priest. “But I love my job now,” he says, finishing his salmon. “I wouldn’t change a thing.”

“How did you two meet?” I asked.

Amy finished the California roll call and replied, “It was a weekend at Moody Bible Institute where you went on a date with your roommate. I asked my roommate to set me up with one of the three Bens, and she chose this one.”

Amy and Ben Snyder are saying goodbye to Diners and Dives.

“What is the most exotic thing you have seen as a missionary?” I caught the last scallop with my chopsticks.

Amy laughed. “I was pregnant in Africa and we were having a candlelit dinner at a friend’s house; There was no electricity. I asked what the meat was and our friend said, ‘Oh mom, this is a special dish of my village.’ After a minute I leaned over to Ben and whispered, ‘I think I have a toenail.’

Banker Paul’s eyes grew as wide as the giant hat with giant eyes on his head. “It was an alligator, wasn’t it?”

Amy nodded. “Yes. It tastes like chicken, even the joints.”

None of us are getting any younger, so although Kiyomi doesn’t serve alligator, you can get excellent chicken if sushi isn’t your thing. Say hello to Kelly and her mother and call her son Jerry. If you miss him you will see photos of him growing up behind the desk.

TIP – Liberty Sewing Circle will be performed at SAC on Tuesday, November 12 at 10am Matters of Courage.

Do you know an interesting place, restaurant, nonprofit or person you’d like to see featured on Diners and Dives? Send an email to Shari Benyousky at (email protected).