jg488

The Brooklyn Pigfest takes place tomorrow afternoon. Details: http://www.brooklynbrewery.com/events/?id=431 Tickets are $85/person in advance, and $95/person at the door. I know it's a benefit for the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, but the price still seems really steep. Has anyone been before? Is it worth it?

What happened to Jewel Bako? It was one of my absolute favorites from about 1999 to 2003. Then it somehow went downhill, but I'm not sure why. Was it the expansion? The change in chef? Did the owners extend their empire too far? I'd love to read your thoughts on the reasons behind JB's decline. This also raises an interesting general question about why and how great restaurants lose their edge. JR

Thanks for the explanation. What restaurant is the photo from? There's more going on there than some blowtorched fish. Is it some sort of mayo-based sauce?

This is a great suggestion -- an 8-piece omakase order, then additional orders from there. This gives you the flexibility to steer the meal in different directions depending on what you enjoy, and avoids having a ton of sushi sitting there waiting to be eaten, with the fish drying out and the rice getting cold. What exactly is aburiengawa? And where is a good place in NYC to get it?

Thanks for the replies. Luckily there was a last-minute cancellation at Yasuda, so we were able to go there. Delicious as always, although I was a bit let down sitting at a table as opposed to the sushi bar. Any suggestions on how to make the most of a sushi meal at a table? I'm sure there's no substitute for getting it piece-by-piece from the sushi chef, but what about ordering several small courses of sushi, so that you don't have lots of pieces sitting on a platter waiting to be eaten? Next time I can't get into Yasuda, I'll give Sushiden or one of the Hatsuhanas a try. Finally, am I right in thinking that Kurumazushi is way more expensive than Yasuda?

I'm looking for a excellent sushi spot in Midtown on the east side. I'm planning a business lunch, and my standby, Sushi Yasuda, is fully booked. We'll be expensing it, so cost isn't a big factor --- except that Kuruma Zushi is out of our range. Any thoughts on Sushi Ann (E. 51st bet. Mad & Park) or Sushiden (E. 49th bet. 5th & Mad)? Or other ideas for top sushi in this neighborhood? Thanks in advance, JR

I just called Di Fara's and spoke with Dom. He hopes to be open on Monday.

I was at Sushi of Gari 46 on Friday night. Great meal, but somewhat of an unpleasant shock when the bill came. [Note -- I posted about this on Chowhound a few minutes ago, but wanted to get the reaction of eGulleters. Hope I'm not offending anyone's sensibilities.] When I made the reservation for 2 at the sushi bar, I was told that omakase was the only option at the bar, and that the minimun was $80/person. I agreed, and we ordered omakase from the server. I did not mention any price limit when ordering. The meal was wonderful, served piece-by-piece by the sushi chef. No complaints at all about the food. At a certain point, after we'd had about 15 pieces each, the chef asked if there was anything else we wanted. I said no, thinking that by declining any extras, I'd stayed within the $80/person range. When the bill came, the food cost per person was about $110/person. I don't think that this price was too high given the excellent food we had. It was, however, contrary to my expectations based on my discussion with the hostess when making the reservations. I didn't raise it because I didn't want to make a scene, but it left a bad taste in my mouth. I would love to hear thoughts about my experience in particular, or about pricing for omakase meals in general. Again, I should add that the meal was wonderful, and we really enjoyed the setting and service at Gari 46. Thanks, JR

I don't know how far uptown they'll deliver, but the delivery from Sushi Yasuda is the best takeout sushi I've ever had. For about $20 you can get 5 pieces of sushi and 2 rolls, plus soup or salad. They even throw in a bag of genmai-cha tea. There are other options too -- check out their menu here.

We went to DiFara's last night and enjoyed a great pizza. Dom is back on his feet and in good spirits.

I called yesterday and spoke with Dom. He told me that his foot was better and that they were opening Monday.

Some DiFara's info: Slice says they'll open over the weekend: http://www.sliceny.com/archives/2006/04/di...his_weekend.php A Chowhound poster reports they'll open next Monday: http://www.chowhound.com/boards/outer/messages/86304.html JR

A friend and I ate at ici last night for the Restaurant Week deal. Absolutely wonderful and such a bargain. All the food was great, and the service was competent and friendly. Check it out. JR

I called yesterday morning and spoke with Dom's son. Dom injured his foot and is taking some time to recuperate. They hope to reopen Tuesday.

Breaking news: http://eater.curbed.com/archives/2006/03/breaking_difara.php Anyone have an update on this?