bpearis

bpearis -- Could you elaborate on the "live" octupus? "live octopus," as it was called, i think means it is raw as opposed to the octopus you normally get at sushi restaurants. It was not alive when I was eating it (i don't think) but it hadn't been dead for long. A lot like the fresh, raw squid you get at good sushi places. the dressing was some sort of chili paste and vinegar with micro greens and daikon. -bill

We had five appetizers, and, more often than not, my girlfriend and I were given different things each time -- except for the toro tartare. there were also the seared toro salad with some sort of spicy yuzu dressing, a live octopus salad with a spicy dressing of some sort, black bass ceviche, eel with vinegar jelly... i shoulda took notes. desert was lichee sorbet and then fresh fruit with mochi (sp?) which was very refreshing on a hot night like last night. Sushi was exceptional. I am truly smitten with this little place.

Last night it was $50, $75 and $100. $50 is just sushi, and the main difference I could tell between the other two is with $100 you get a gorgeous sashimi plate. If you sit at the bar, I'm sure you could work something out with the chef, he's very affable in a sushi chef kind of way. But don't quote me on that.

Mao, I was there last night too, at the sushi bar with my girlfriend (we had the corner seats). They were understaffed, apparently, but we didn't really notice. We had an amazing meal (I think we were given an extra appetizer -- we got five plus sushi for the $70 omakase). The most memorable dishes for me were the eel salad with vinegar jelly, my girlfriend's toro salad, the toro tartare and a delicious ceviche. That and this piece of sushi made from chopped jack mackerel, ginger and something else. "My favorite sushi," said chef Kazu, and I'd have to concur. We were there for nearly four hours and never felt neglected or rushed. This is probably because we sat at the sushi bar, but service was first class as always (this was my third time there).

Went there on a whim tonight -- figured first seating, holiday weekend, no problem (eaten there back in February, but was in the mood). I was right. Sat at the sushi bar alone for 15 minutes or so until in walked Masuharu Morimoto and, I'm assuming, his wife. Dressed way down, khaki shorts, white undershirt with a sweater-vest, baseball cap. Kind of a thrill. The food was accross the board great. Got the $75 omakase, started with a salad containing, I think, amberjack and this delicious vinegar jelly. Really, really nice. Second course was the toro tartare with avacodo, as owner Jack Lamb called it, Daniel Boulud's finest caviar (maybe he said David Bouley, I'm not sure). This is extremely decadent and I've gone back and forth on whether I like this toro tartare or the one at Nobu better. Jury's still out, both are great, this was superb. Third appetizer was broiled whole scallops with a plum sauce and roasted Japanese eggplant. This too was out-of-this-world. I'm not an easy critic, but sometimes you're just in the right place at the right time. I don't know, but it was totally tasty. Sushi was pretty awesome, my favorites being this seared and marinated tuna; scallop with sea salt and grated tiny Japanese limes; and a fish I'd never heard of before -- grunt. Desert started with a lichi fruit sorbet amuse that tasted to me just like Japanese KissMint gum. Which isn't a bad thing, just suprising. The real desert were these little cubes of varying flavor -- chocolate, green tea, sesame, etc. Wasn't much, but very elegant and just right actually -- I was very full. The service was exceptional, just this side of fawning. Jack Lamb would come up and tell me about how the chef spent five hours pulling out pin bones from the fresh water eel, etc., but it was never gratuitous or uninteresting. He seems to treat everyone the same (Morimonto san excepted) for the most part. Can't wait to go back.

they are american-style chips. crisps, i suppose. the american menus differ a lot from the UK shops from what i can tell. nyc prets are free of the so-called "miracle mayo" that adorns some of brit sandwiches. for that i am thankfull. the name alone scares me. just about anything with avocado is good there, especially the avocado-bacon.

I'm a fan of the Thai Chicken and the Avacado-Bacon, myself. Thier key lime pie is pretty good too, as is their thick-cut potato chips.

i live in the wb and i've avoided this place like the plague -- it looks so not-too-distant-future, it seems like it was created by some hip marketing company before they thought about the menu. when i pass by it always seems like people are there to drink, not to eat (it's never very crowded). but this makes me interested. perhaps i'll give it (or this special menu, at least) a chance.

they will ask you if it's your first time doing omakase. if you say yes, you're gauranteed to get the nobu greatest hits -- toro tartare, sashimi salad, rock shrimp tempura, black cod -- well three of those at least. omakase is the way to go. they'll also let you pick every course if you want, but then it's not really omakase.

If you're ever in Williamsburg, you should stop in Matamoros Puebla grocery on Bedford (btwn N. 6th & N. 7th). In the back is a small lunch counter and a couple of tables. It's amazing and extremely authentic. Threre are about eight or nine kinds of tacos, plus tostadas and sandwiches. (Just know that the "pork cheese" sandwhich is not pork with cheese, it's head cheese.) The best things, in my opinion, are the sopes, little boats of masa filled with meat, onions, crema, cojitta cheese and salsa. You can stuff yourself silly here for about seven dollars. They also have great tamales and, on Sundays, awesome pazole. I think I would starve (or cook more) if it weren't for Matamoros.

agreed. the lambchops are pretty amazing. as is the whole fish, whatever kind it is offered that night (i think mine was branzino, but it's been a while). the calamari sicillian lifeguard style (don't ask) is great too. i like the lamb's tongue salad as well. the last time i went (july), our waiter was a ignored us after our initial ordering and was a general jerk/snob to us, which is too bad as every other time i've been there, i've had good experiences. that said, the food was still great. i don't know if this is just coincidence, but in general the waitstaff upstairs has been better than when i've been seated downstairs. bill

had omakase lunch there yesterday, actually. service was a bit iffy, but they were really slammed and i was in no hurry, so i didn't mind. food was great i thought. i was a little disappointed about getting items i had had before (i told them i'd been there many times) but it was all good and i could have their soft-shell crap from now till christmas and not be sick of it. the thing i was really impressed and surprised with was my dessert. it was a rasberry-tapioca thing. i have some strange irrational dislike of tapioca (probably spawning from my grandmother) but this was really great -- tart, with a zing that i think must have been champagne or prosecco or something. they've still got it.

grimey gave it a thumbs-up in the times today... http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/31/dining/31JOUR.html