Jump to content

  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Sushi on the Lower East Side

gingerbeer

By gingerbeer
in New York: Dining

 Share

Recommended Posts

gingerbeer

gingerbeer

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
I dont know the area, but I'd skip sushi and head to Katz's for a one of a kind experience.  You can get sushi elsewhere, but you can't find Katz's anywhere else.

That's actually what I really wanted to do, but the person I'm with is quite adamant that they want sushi. Fortunately though I'll be coming to NY 3 times a year from now on, and maybe moving here in a year or so, so I will have another chance :)

http://literaryfoodporn.blogspot.com
Link to comment
Share on other sites
raji

raji

Posted
Posted (edited)
I dont know the area, but I'd skip sushi and head to Katz's for a one of a kind experience.  You can get sushi elsewhere, but you can't find Katz's anywhere else.

That's actually what I really wanted to do, but the person I'm with is quite adamant that they want sushi. Fortunately though I'll be coming to NY 3 times a year from now on, and maybe moving here in a year or so, so I will have another chance :)

I have to disagree with you, Ms. Poutine.... I mean, you can get NY-style kosher deli up in Montreal, but it's not as good as Katz's. Similarly, you can get imitation sushi all the world round nowadays, but nowhere does sushi outside of Japan better than NYC. Montreal has a huge jewish population, and NYC has the largest Japanese ex-pat population outside of Japan (Sao Paolo has more "officiallly" but they are nissei)

Go to Esashi, 3rd and A, or if you want to blow your wad, Le Mius. LES sucks for Japanese food, it's a sorry extension of St. Marks. Also, @ 11th and A is Kamui Den, which has very good basic sushi but also a great all-around japanese menu. That place is fantastic.

Edited by raji (log)

http://www.raji.com/blog/

http://wrightandwrong.metsblog.com/

NYC and Tokyo

Link to comment
Share on other sites
CaliPoutine

CaliPoutine

Posted
Posted
I dont know the area, but I'd skip sushi and head to Katz's for a one of a kind experience.  You can get sushi elsewhere, but you can't find Katz's anywhere else.

That's actually what I really wanted to do, but the person I'm with is quite adamant that they want sushi. Fortunately though I'll be coming to NY 3 times a year from now on, and maybe moving here in a year or so, so I will have another chance :)

I have to disagree with you, Ms. Poutine.... I mean, you can get NY-style kosher deli up in Montreal, but it's not as good as Katz's. Similarly, you can get imitation sushi all the world round nowadays, but nowhere does sushi outside of Japan better than NYC. Montreal has a huge jewish population, and NYC has the largest Japanese ex-pat population outside of Japan (Sao Paolo has more "officiallly" but they are nissei)

Go to Esashi, 3rd and A, or if you want to blow your wad, Le Mius. LES sucks for Japanese food, it's a sorry extension of St. Marks. Also, @ 11th and A is Kamui Den, which has very good basic sushi but also a great all-around japanese menu. That place is fantastic.

I stand by my original statement. There are NO other Katz's. Montreal smoked meat isnt the same as Katz's corned beef( even though I dont eat red meat, I've been told). But, you're not only going to Katz's for the food, its the entire experience.

Randi

2girlsinthekitchen.blogspot.com

The Senior Dining Thread

eG Food Blogs

#1#2

#3

#4

Link to comment
Share on other sites
weinoo

weinoo

Posted
Posted
Go to Esashi, 3rd and A, or if you want to blow your wad, Le Mius.

Sorry, raji, Esashi has been closed for months now.

There is no really acceptable sushi for me on the lower east side. Does Jewel Bako still get any play?

We hop on the subway to Ushiwaka when the need for sushi arises.

Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

Tasty Travails - My Blog

My eGullet FoodBog - A Tale of Two Boroughs

Was it you baby...or just a Brilliant Disguise?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
gastrodamus

gastrodamus

Posted
Posted
I am visiting from London and don't want to miss out anywhere exciting or good! The person I am going with requested sushi particularly. Please let me know your best suggestions... less expensive is always better than more ;) Thank you!

i agree with everyone else. there's no good sushi in LES. as adrian posted, ushiwakamaru is nearby and would be my first choice. also nearby are blue ribbon in soho and jewel bako in east village, though the latter two are considered somewhat overrated. jewel bako's $50 sushi or sashimi omakase is one of the better deals for the quality IMO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
gingerbeer

gingerbeer

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
I am visiting from London and don't want to miss out anywhere exciting or good! The person I am going with requested sushi particularly. Please let me know your best suggestions... less expensive is always better than more ;) Thank you!

i agree with everyone else. there's no good sushi in LES. as adrian posted, ushiwakamaru is nearby and would be my first choice. also nearby are blue ribbon in soho and jewel bako in east village, though the latter two are considered somewhat overrated. jewel bako's $50 sushi or sashimi omakase is one of the better deals for the quality IMO.

Hmmm Blue Ribbon looks worth trying...

http://literaryfoodporn.blogspot.com
Link to comment
Share on other sites
raji

raji

Posted
Posted
I stand by my original statement.  There are NO other Katz's.  Montreal smoked meat isnt the same as Katz's corned beef( even though I dont eat red meat, I've been told).  But, you're not only going to Katz's for the food, its the entire experience.

Katz's is a one-of-a-kind old NY experience like no other, and the food can't be beat. But unless the OP is going to Japan, then authentic sushi the likes to be had in NYC will be like NO other. The VAST majority of sushi and japanese food worldwide is not made by Japanese and therefore the whole experience is rarely as good as those offered by properly trained Japanese chefs, proprietors and servers. That level of training is rarely handed down stateside, a rare exception is the Totto group that holds it's chefs AND servers to the same standard that they would back in Japan. I don't think it's stretch to say that there's a good chance that the gulf between Katz's and a corned beef in another town might be as great as sushi in NYC and sushi in another town, even judging by the entire experience...

Shame about Esashi. I'd still take your friend to Kamui Den, it's a killer Japanese restaurant with a full page of sushi, and the chef is formerly of Hasaki so knows how to make sushi properly. Kanoyama, I haven't been personally but I'm sure it's fine. Sushi Azabu is also downtown albeit on the westside and is open Sundays. If you're willing to travel above 14th street, then that's another topic entirely.

http://www.raji.com/blog/

http://wrightandwrong.metsblog.com/

NYC and Tokyo

Link to comment
Share on other sites
kathryn

kathryn

Posted
Posted (edited)

2nding Kanoyama (just be ready for a long wait on Fridays/Saturdays). Blue Ribbon Sushi is nowhere near as good. Good for maki and cooked dishes, but not nigiri. I've had very sloppy nigiri there.

Additionally, I've heard very disappointing reports from Jewel Bako in the last 1-2 years (cold, dry rice).

If Kanoyama is full up, I'd go to Lan (one of the chefs is ex-Ushi), Le Miu (ex-Nobu), or Nori (ex-Takahachi manager).

I like Ushi a lot but I've had trouble trying to walk in or getting a reservation on short notice.

From a single visit, I'd say Sushi Azabu is on par with Kanoyama in terms of quality but has a MUCH smaller selection. But they take reservations and serve you one nigiri piece at a time, freshly-sauced, at the sushi counter. (I wouldn't try to walk in, it's tiny.)

Edited by kathryn (log)
"I'll put anything in my mouth twice." -- Ulterior Epicure
Link to comment
Share on other sites
gastrodamus

gastrodamus

Posted
Posted
2nding Kanoyama (just be ready for a long wait on Fridays/Saturdays). Blue Ribbon Sushi is nowhere near as good. Good for maki and cooked dishes, but not nigiri. I've had very sloppy nigiri there.

Additionally, I've heard very disappointing reports from Jewel Bako in the last 1-2 years (cold, dry rice).

If Kanoyama is full up, I'd go to Lan (one of the chefs is ex-Ushi), Le Miu (ex-Nobu), or Nori (ex-Takahachi manager).

I like Ushi a lot but I've had trouble trying to walk in or getting a reservation on short notice.

From a single visit, I'd say Sushi Azabu is on par with Kanoyama in terms of quality but has a MUCH smaller selection. But they take reservations and serve you one nigiri piece at a time, freshly-sauced, at the sushi counter. (I wouldn't try to walk in, it's tiny.)

forgot about kanoyama. excellent sushi/sashimi especially for the price. i've been able to make same day reservation for a sunday dinner but fri and sat are walk-in only. loved the live lobster special (not the type that's alive while you eat).

i grabbed a late lunch at blue ribbon about a month ago. their nigiri pieces and hamachi kama were spectacular though i cannot vouch for their maki or the quality when busy. i also had the sushi and sashimi omakase at jewel bako over the summer and thought they were solid. the sushi rice was cooked perfectly and all the pieces were served at the right temperature and proportion. had one of the best hamachi there. great service too. having said that, i too have heard that the quality at both of these places have slipped over the past couple of years, which fortunately wasn't the case when i visited.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...