Stupid Pandering Americanized Sushi: but the GOOD stuff!

[Jim Leff]

I'm trying this query once again. I posted something similar last year, but didn't get what I was looking for. Maybe what I'm looking for doesn't exist in NYC....sigh.

I am an aficionado of pristine, classical, rigorous sushi. I'm such a purist that I rarely dunk in soy. I seek communion from my sushi chef. I want to glean all the subtlety and wan expressionism there is to be gleaned.

Same with pasta...I appreciate a true al dente, and the delicate intermingling of wheat and sauce. BUT....I also like leftover spaghetti, scarfed out of a tupperware container from the fridge. Different part of the brain. What can I say?

And that part of my brain also likes silly Americanized bastardized vulgar sushi. Double dragon rolls, spicy tuna, lots of crispy and spicy thingamabobs. sushi that makes you giggle and is eaten fast and which fills you up. However, I only like really GOOD silly Americanized vulgar sushi. I mean, I like egg rolls, too, but not the standard ones. I trek far and wide for great stupid food (as I do for any other genre).

I don't mean high end fusion sushi where some terribly clever chef makes terribly precious and unusual this or that. No white truffles with my toro, please. I want the stuff that makes sushi aficionados wince. I want suburban pandering meathead sushi. But a really GOOD rendition, y'know? Does anyone out there, like, UNDERSTAND?


ciao

[halo]

Oishii in the boston suburbs chestnut hill is exactly what you described. everything is very good but the maki's where they excel. stick with the maki and you can get away for less than $40/pp. 2 hour wait last time i went...

[cab]

how about Ginger in the East Village? They have a bunch of oddly named rolls, muse and dream are my favorites.

[MV]

AKi on west fourth fits the bill. He makes some wacky rolls, all of which are good and the nigiri is also good enough. It is by no means the best in the world, but the interesting combos in the rolls do it fo rme.

And Jeff, i know exactly what you are saying. True pristine sushi cannot be beat but there is a time when i want the stupid ridiculous rolls to fill myself up on.

[ES]

Agreed with Aki. Great jerk chicken roll and banana tempura roll.

[pitu]

Aki is DELICIOUS, so third this notion.
It puts my local dragon roll absurdity to shame...that would be Nana in Park Slope, btw. Nana is good, Aki is brilliant.

[Kerry]

Yeah! That place with the "Caribbean sushi" is great!

[Offbalance]

Too bad you didn't post this on the outer boroughs board, or else I would have reccommended Chikurin (Avenue M and Ocean Parkway, you can take the Q train to the Ave M stop and walk a few blocks) , home to some really terrific roll combinations.

I personally reccommend the Cherry Blossom roll (salmon and tuna shaped into flowers), and the Panther Roll (eel, salmon, flakes, roe)

oooh...I'm starting to get hungry!

[Lucia]

Cube 63 in the LES might work.

[yj]

yes. cube 63 is probably just right. but, be advised that on friday and saturday, the place gets overrun by drunk jersey girls (even when you're not in a "communion at the sushi bar" mood, you still might want to be able to hear yourself think).

go on a weekday, grab a bottle of wakatake from de-vino across the street, give the chefs a shot each, and enjoy your big fix of american style sushi!

[amyknyc]

Mizu is my go-to in this category. Tons of rolls stuffed with fish and just about anything else they can find. The quality is pretty good too. On 20th between Park and Broadway.

[Chorus Girl]

I agree. The roll with scallop, soft seaweed, and caviar is one of my favorite sushi rolls anywhere.

[ha]

Without a doubt the BEST americanized sushi is YAMA. There are 3 in the city, best one is on Carmine St.

[Won Hung Lo]

Seems as though there may be some doubt about that after all.

[ido]

try ido. they got 2 pages worth of those kind of rolls.

[i8dumplings]

Not in Manhattan, but the Iron Chef on Clark St in Brooklyn Heights is a possible candidate. At its best, it's really pretty good. Chinese-owned neighborhood joint. Packed at peak times (don't go then, quality can really sink). Spicy combos, crispy fish bits, monster sized rolls, with all sorts of sauces (oyster? hoisin? basil oil? mayo?). I'm currently hooked on the spicy yellow dragon roll, and the monkey roll, I think they call it (tempura shrimp with chili-mayo squirted in a quasi-fancy presentation). Filling, hearty, sushi. i.e. not authentic Japanese. Turnover is so high that their fish is bound to be pretty fresh (unlike the two other "sushi" joints down the street). Cooked fish entrees aren't bad, either. Dinner bento box is a good deal, huge quantity of food.

Martha Stewart meets asian techno decor is sort of interesting, though a little peculiar, some of the plastic flowers and other craft projects change on a seasonal basis. Very small space, and the entry curtain doesn't do much for the circulation.

[Kerry]

Takahachi Tribeca. Same fish as Nobu but much weirder combinations.

[shanon]

for a good roll, check out Ota Ya on 82nd and 2nd. (i know...you don't expect good sushi on the upper east side). the rolls there are delicious and they plop extra filling on top of the pieces after they cut the spicy tuna/salmon rolls. Plus the fish is always really fresh...they're only open for dinner.

[Nancy N.]

Try a new one: Tenzan, on Columbus between 73rd and 74th. I think it might be just what you're looking for, and I'd be interested to know if you agree. If you go, have their "spicy like roll" (chopped shrimp with tobiko and crunch). And their plain old spicy tuna rolls are delicious.

[Nancy N.]

About Tenzan--I forgot to say: Definitely try a veggie roll there--there's one with sweet potato, and there's a peanut/avocado one that tastes MUCH better than it sounds and should please your soy-dunking brain.