Younger relatives in town from Hawaii craving Japanese food-not just sushi. Thought I'd ask for recs for 20 somethings to enjoy this eve. Will travel anywhere great in Manhattan. Thanks for your recs in advance.
By UES Mayor
on Jun 9, 2011 03:46 AM
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Sakagura
Yakitori Totto
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Yakitori Totto
251 W 55th St, New York, NY 10019
Sakagura
211 East 43rd Street, New York, NY 10017
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Robata-ya
Lau wrote a review of Yuba that has put it on my radar as well. Either way, finish up your East Village dinner with drinks at Angel's Share.
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Angel's Share
8 Stuyvesant St, New York, NY 10003
Robataya NY
231 E 9th St, New York, NY 10003
Yuba
105 E 9th St, New York, NY 10003
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Expensive:
Morimoto, Kyo Ya, Soto, Kajitsu, Takahashi
Midrange:
Yuba, Wasan, Kanoyama, Natori, Decibel, Souen
Cheap Eats:
Yakitori Taisho, Kasadela, Ramen Setagaya,
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Soto
357 6th Avenue, New York, NY 10014
Kanoyama
175 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003
Kasadela
647 E 11th St, New York, NY 10009
Natori
58 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10003
Morimoto
88 10th Avenue, New York, NY 10011
Yakitori Taisho
5 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10003
Decibel
240 E 9th St, New York, NY 10003
Souen
210 6th Ave, New York, NY 10014
Souen
28 E 13th St, New York, NY 10003
Kyo Ya
94 E 7th St, New York, NY 10009
Takahachi
85 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009
Takahachi
145 Duane St, New York, NY 10013
Ramen Setagaya
34 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10003
Kajitsu
414 East 9th Street, New York, NY 10009
Yuba
105 E 9th St, New York, NY 10003
Wasan
108 E 4th St, New York, NY 10003
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These are all good suggestions, and you can't really go wrong with any of them. One more would be Brushstroke--David Bouley's latest venture in Tribecca. Open table will tell you to come back in a year, but about a quarter of the tables were empty on our visit--so call. Very hip, but can be very, VERY expensive. If not on this trip, try it yourself and sit at the counter--very interesting to watch them prepare everything. Actually, you could also try SHO in FiDi; usually on summer Fridays, you can find space; excellent food, not so sure about the weekend "hip" factor.
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SHO Shaun Hergatt
40 Broad St, New York, NY 10004
Brushstroke
30 Hudson St, New York, NY 10013
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SHO is not a Japanese restaurant.
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UES, guts is 100% correct; it is French/Asian fusion, which I figured you would pick up at the first glace at the menu. I posted it because many of our Japanese customers compliment us on picking the restaurant, 'cause I guess they get plenty of good sushi in Tokyo. Forgot to mention this in the earlier post; mea culpa.
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i found sho less than inspiring
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IPPUDO / 65 4th Ave (bet. 9th & 10th) :Good noodle, sake and more in east village
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Ippudo
65 4th Ave, New York, NY 10003
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Seconding the Sakagura recommendation. They have an extensive sake list, and a big menu that encourages grazing. Definitely NOT a sushi joint, although they do usually have a few raw fish specials.
If Sakagura is too pricey, another place that has a similiar style (but is probably more casual) is Sake Bar Hagi.
Word of caution: Ippudo has excellent food and is a lot of fun, but will most likely have a long wait on a Thursday night.
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Hagi
152 W 49th St, New York, NY 10019
Sakagura
211 East 43rd Street, New York, NY 10017
Ippudo
65 4th Ave, New York, NY 10003
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Sakagura is a great option, but you may not be able to make reservations for tonight.
Sake Bar Hagi will probably require a 30 to 60 minute wait. (Not that bad, since you can go for a drink nearby and they will call you.) The food isn't honestly amazing, but it's authentic and enjoyable enough. Beers are cheap, the atm is lively.
You might have fun, also, just browsing options around St. Marks. There are a lot of tiny places selling street food like takoyaki lurking around there. I don't know of a place that particularly stands out, but maybe others do.
Takashi is... well, perhaps not hip except by my old lady standards, but it might be fun. It's all beef Korean-Japanese barbecue and sashimi. Tiny place, will probably be a 30 minute wait. The food is head and shoulders better than Yakitori Totto.
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Sakagura
211 East 43rd Street, New York, NY 10017
Takashi
456 Hudson St, New York, NY 10011
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Tried to get into Sakagura but was booked. Anyway opted for Tokubei mainly due to weather conditions and had an excellent meal!Started the evening off with a bottle of Junmai Daikarkuchi Sawanoi Sake which was an excellent choice made by waitress. We sat at the tiny sushi bar which seats 4 tops-and were treated to some of the best sushi and sahimi omakase style. The sushi chef did not dissappoint. Also feasted on nato beans which is a slimy dish of fermented soybeans, something you have to have had growing up or you will think its the most disgusting taste in the world. Also were pleased with a huge dish of fried tofu and couple dishes of Karaage (Tokyo style fried chicken). We left stuffed and I just had to let you all know about this often overlooked place for some of the best sushi in town, Granted the atmosphere not hip but well worth the trip for the food. Also run by authentic Japanese folks!
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Tokubei 86
314 E 86th St, New York, NY 10028
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Very interesting report, UES Mayor! You just put Tokubei on my radar. I don't often eat in that neighborhood, but if Tokubei is worth a trip, I'll haul myself up there one of these days.
3E>Also feasted on nato beans which is a slimy dish of fermented soybeans, something you have to have had growing up or you will think its the most disgusting taste in the world.
Incidentally... I had natto growing up and still think it's one of the least delicious tastes in the world, while a Slovak-American friend of mine is one of the most prolific natto eaters I know. I used to think he was just eating it to gross/weird me out, but he evidently likes the stuff well enough to make it at home.
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Ha- I also grew up around natto (my mom loves that stuff) but I won't voluntarily eat it. I can barely stand the smell of it.
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Nice sake--you can get it at Sakaya...
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Sakaya
324 E 9th St, New York, NY 10003
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I've been to Tokubei many times - it's a fine neighborhood place. But to say it's "some of the best sushi in town" is very very far from accurate.
What are '"authentic Japanese folks" ?
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I beg to differ. Sushi and sashimi was fresh fresh fresh and having grown up in Hawaii I know fish and what quality is. Authentic Japanese folks?? duh!!! peeps from Japan who know sushi and sahimi. As opposed to other sushi places who serve sushi as an after thought and use preparers who have no idea of presentation w all that mayo and crap to disguise quality fish.
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I understand that it's not "crap" - but "some of the best sushi in town" - do you think it compares favorably to 15 East, Kurumazushi, Shinbashi, Ushiwakamaru, Masa, Yasuda, Shimizu, Seo, etc? When you say "some of the best sushi in town" what are you comparing it to?
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