Americanized Sushi Rolls

[coleyas]

Hi, I'm looking for the best "Americanized" Sushi restaurant in the City at special request for a friend's birthday dinner.

The sushi can be deep-fried, with lots of yummy sauces, and different ingredients, but it must be the best "Americanized" Sushi in category!

Please help! I can think of several places in other cities, but no place in NYC other than the "real" sushi restaurants comes to mind.

Also, it would be great to have dinner and drinks for 2 for under $200 in a somewhat trendy atmosphere.

Kindly share your thoughts, and not make fun of me, please. : ) Thank you!

[sushiman]

Seki's spicy scallop roll may be one of the best things you will ever eat.

[foodwhisperer]

Sushi Gari's snowcrab with black caviar is pretty amazing

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Gari
370 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10024

[bigjeff]

never ate at Aki Sushi on West 4th but their call to fame is that the guy used to be the chef for the Japanese Ambassador to Jamaica (or the other way around) so the rolls and such are supposed to be pretty funky. place has been around for a long time but . . . I haven't eaten there yet. anyone been lately?

[kathryn]

Yes -- he likes to put things like pickles and unusual sauces in the rolls, but it's not really a big or trendy place. And it's pretty restrained in comparison to the other more Americanized places around town.

[thew]

same owners as the one on the UES?

[MVNYC]

No they are unrelated. Aki on W 4th used to get a lot of love on these boards circa 2002-2004. The quality of the food there is very good though I haven't gone there in a few years. The appetizers are pretty creative and tasty.

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Aki
181 W 4th St, New York, NY 10014

[kathryn]

There's a bunch of Aki sushi joints around town, they tried to differentiate themselves by calling it "Aki on West 4th," but it sounds awkward still. As far as I know, they only have one restaurant.

We've had it a few times this year and it's good, maybe a little overpriced, maybe, but I'm used to Nori in the East Village's prices.

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Aki
181 W 4th St, New York, NY 10014

[foodwhisperer]

Aki has a few creative "jamaican style" rolls. In general the fish isnt of top quality and you will not see much fish from japan.

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Aki
181 W 4th St, New York, NY 10014

[foodwhisperer]

For trendy "Americanized sushi" Sushi of Gari, Sushi Seki, Sushi Samba,Megu, Nobu 57. Takahachi (east village and Tribeca has some very creative rolls i.e. volcano roll, Bee Movie, passage to India roll, etc

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Gari
370 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10024

Nobu 57
40 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019

Takahachi
85 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009

[asiansupper]

haven't been to cube63 in a while but those types of rolls is pretty much all they serve

[small h]

Cube 63 has closed.

http://ny.eater.com/archives/2010/09/...

[asiansupper]

oddly enough i walked by and another restaurant named "cube" has popped up in its place. also seems to be serving sushi.

[small h]

Interesting. I will investigate this. Thanks for the heads up.

[orthorunner]

I havent been to the NYC one, but when I think of "trendy Americanized sushi" I think of a spot like SushiSamba. Certainly not where to go for the highest quality sushi, but if your friend mainly wants a fun/trendy spot with decent sushi, it may be worth checking out.

[daffyduck]

i havent been there for a few years but i liked the americanized rolls at blue water grill.

[kathryn]

Is Blue Ribbon Americanized enough for your purposes?

[uwsister]

I second Blue Ribbon - pretty Americanized, IMO, and high quality too.

Gari is also very high-quality, but when I went there the bill was way over $100/person. Also I don't think it's quite what you're looking for.

Sushi Samba was trendy years ago, maybe it still is - but not worth going if you want good sushi. Blue Ribbon's much better.

[foodwhisperer]

uwsister , my bill at Gari the other nite was over $240 per person,,and we had beer and not sake, If we had sake it would have been over $350. YIKES

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Gari
370 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10024

[fooder]

My main suggestion would be Japonais, which has a good selection of more "normal" maki rolls, and three specialty rolls. It's a trendy atmosphere (I really like the lounge), the fish is fresh, and the price is right.

Of the "real" sushi restaurants, it's also possible to go to Sushi Seki and achieve this, with their three golden flowers rolls, spicy scallop hand roll, and their regular sushi is definitely of the different sauces category. Here's my most recent trip (with photos): http://ramblingsandgamblings.blogspot...

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Japonais
111 East 18th Street, New York, NY 10003

[jakew8]

Second vote for Japonais. It's trend-ish (read: cool but passe) and their "special" rolls are actually pretty good. My favorite is the spicy mono (octopus) roll, which I'd pair with the cucumber martini and just keep ordering more of both until I reach my $200 limit. Also the desserts aren't bad.

I'd skip Sushi Samba--it's never very high quality and you'll be surrounded by B&T high school kids.

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Japonais
111 East 18th Street, New York, NY 10003

[thew]

the best non traditional modern sushi, with sauces and bells and whistles in sushi of gari on 78th st.

i wouldn't call it americanized, but then i wouldnt call anything americanized.