Kyoto - eGullet sushi lunches

[Rachel Perlow]

Lou Reda has organized a sushi lunch at Kyoto Restaurant for Thursday, November 14th. Kyoto is in Florham Park, on Columbia Tpke, in the strip mall opposite Treasure Island, the one with the McDonalds in the parking lot. Pull in the parking lot and the restaurant is near the elbow joint of the strip. Please see this thread for background discussion. We have already had much quibbling about dates and have decided to keep this date firm. Somewhere along the way, Kim WB pointed out that since the thread was titled "Best Sushi Restaurants in NJ" (linked above) it wasn't clear that this had turned into an eGullet get together - hence this new thread.

Here is their menu:

Correct on no liquor license, it's BYO.  Here's the table menu:

Nigiri sushi

Tuna $2

Fatty tuna (toro) $2.95

Yellowtail 2.50

Salmon 2

Eel (unagi) 2.50

White fish 2.50

Smoked salmon 2.50

Salmon roe (ikura) 2.95

Shrimp 2

Surf clam (hokki) 2.25

Ama ebi   2.95

Squid (ika) 2.25

Fylingfish roe (tokibo)  2.25

octopus (tako)  2.25

Crab stick 2

Sea urchin (uni) 2.95

Spanish mackerel 2.25

mackerel 2

Scallop 2.50

Egg (tamago)

Also had rolls, such as:

shrimp/cucumber tuna salmon yellowtail $12

spicy tuna, shrimp tempura flying fish outside 10

yellowtail avocado outside, spicy salmon/cuke inside 10

perhaps 8-10 more rolls

I had the lunch box special, five good sized shrimp in a sweet garlic suce, three small tofu cubes, six small california rolls for $9.95. Good, interesting tastes, shrimp were very moist inside

RSVP list, so far:

OK - I'm adding this to my calendar for 11/14. What time? 12:30? Who's coming? So far the list seems to be:

Rosie Saferstein

Rachel Perlow

Lou Reda

RockADS21 - name?

Said they would come on other dates but haven't confirmed 11/14 yet:

Rail Paul

Lowell Saferstein?

Nick Gatti

LReda said he would be arranging for preordering the lunch and he should post the menu and price soon.

Please RSVP here if you would like to join us. Current RSVP list:

• Lou Reda and SO
  Rosie and Lowell Saferstein
  Rachel Perlow
  Anthony "RockADS21" Della Sala
  "Kim WB"
  

[Rosie]

I won't know if Lowell can come until we get closer to the date. What is the cut off for making a reservaiton. If he has to work that day it is more important that he work while I spend money!

[Poots]

I have just found out this afternoon that my Copenhagen trip has been postponed to Jan. If a newcomer(relatively young and uneducated foodie) is welcome, then please count me in

[RockADS21]

Rachel - I know you have already counted me in but I just wanted to make it official. Also for the record my name is Anthony Della Sala. Thanks - looking forward to it.

[Rosie]

Poots--Welcome.

[Kim WB]

Thanks, Rachel, for breaking this out. Please count me in. Thanks, Lou for the planning.

[ngatti]

Count me in

Nick

[Lreda]

O.K. I'm on it.

[ngatti]

Hafta cance. Sorry folks. Got the kids from Hudson County (the culinary school), comin' in for a tour. Spoke to soon re the lunch.

Nick

[Rosie]

Lou--Any new info for us? How many so far? This is an eGullet event. All are invited.

[Lreda]

Rosie, it's quiet tonight and I'm going to work out a menu, and have a little lunch at Kyoto Thursday just to check it out. I'll have details Thurs evening if I don't drink too much sake.

A list of people attending would help as to decide whether to get a table or if they have a private kneeling room,

[Rachel Perlow]

See the bottom of the first post of this thread. I am maintaining the RSVP list therein.

[Rosie]

Lowell is a maybe. I'll know as we get closer to the date.

[Lreda]

O.K. back from lunch at Kyoto and must say it blows Nikko away. Much more creativity here.

For starters I had a very good miso soup and then a starter of Peppered white tuna in a citrus marinade that is similar in taste to Ponzu with thinly sliced cucumber & fish eggs.

Next I had individual pieces of uni, tuna, fatty tuna, eel & hamachi. All very fresh. The sushi chef, Roger who judging by the comment cards hung in the window seems to be the owner who very accomidating, explaining to me a couple of items I didn't recognize.

I personally can't resist specialty rolls, and had two.

Four Feathers consisted of shrimp tempura, spicy tuna & cucumber inside and wrapped with yellowtail, salmon, tuna & red snapper outside.

I-Spy ( Hopefully not named after another certain bomb by Eddie Murphy) had spicy lobster, sweet shrimp(raw), eel, avacado, cucumber & fish egg wrapped with white seaweed.

Each roll had 8 pieces to it and I managed to each 6 pieces of each. Cost was $12 each, sufficiant to share for 2-3 people. I'm just a pig when it comes to sushi. Bothered me to leave it behind but my girlfirend is bringing me pastrami from Katz's on E Houston.

I made a reserevation for 8/10 people for next Thursday before I left They have habachi there also but I don't think anyone's interested in that. Rachel's post above has the sushi prices so if everyone give me a idea how much they want to spend I'll contact them and set up a menu on Monday. I'll bring some wine and sake for all of to share but if you want anything particular you'll have to bring it.

This should be fun.

Lou

[Rachel Perlow]

Did you discuss with Roger the cause and objective of the lunch? Perhaps he will work up the menu, a la omakase, and give you a price?

I won't be drinking much, but I'm pretty sure we have some sake or soju I could bring for others. Not that price is no object, but I'm not too concerned about the price for this lunch. If anyone has any cost limitations you should speak now (publicly or PM Lou) or be prepared to pay.

[Poots]

Lou, i'm glad you liked Kyoto. If it tells you guys how much i like this place, the name of my 11 month old Akita/German Shepherd mix is Kyoto

The I Spy roll is definitely named after the movie of the same name. The blackboard changes frequently with new rolls named after current events/movies/tv. There's been the Aol, Deep Impact, and the Austin Powers. I'm excited for next week.

[Rosie]

I'm rolling my pennies as I type. Price not an object.

[Lreda]

Price not an object.

Be careful Rosie, I have a very imaginative mind.

Listen all, I'll try to keep it within $35-$40 per person. H.ow much time do we have? Is an hour and half good? I'm off on Thursdays

[Rosie]

I have a deadline on Thursday but if I am home by 5 PM that is fine.

[Kim WB]

Time and price are all flexible. I also won't be drinking much, will bring some Asahi for all.

An omikazee sounds great...please ask to include one spicy -style roll, perhaps their variation of a spicy tuna roll.

Thanks. And I will need to mapquest this... does anyone have the full address or intersection? Thanks.

[Rachel Perlow]

The address is 176 Columbia Tpke, Florham Park. That's the address for the entire strip mall, so refer to the description in the first post for where it is within that. Basically, it is diagonally opposite the parking lot from the McD's. Be careful with the online directions, I think it told me the wrong exit off Rt 24. You want Exit 2 towards Florham Park, not Morristown.

[Kim WB]

Thanks for the info. Rachel...I'll be taking 287 up, and the directions seem pretty simple, they dump me off on Morris Ave, and I have a Haegstroms for the rest..in my experience, the Mapquest can get you to the town you need, but better to use the old fashioned spiral map book for the details!

[Rachel Perlow]

Morris Ave? 287 North to 24 East to 510/Columbia Tpke (Exit 2 - Florham Park - I think that is 2B). Turn left at the light where Treasure Island is on your far right corner, and CVS is on the near left corner and McD's is on the far left corner. Then turn right into the parking lot. It is about 1-2 miles after you turn off of Rt 24.

[Kim WB]

Morris Ave? 287 North to 24 East to 510/Columbia Tpke (Exit 2 - Florham Park - I think that is 2B). Turn left at the light where Treasure Island is on your far right corner, and CVS is on the near left corner and McD's is on the far left corner. Then turn right into the parking lot. It is about 1-2 miles after you turn off of Rt 24.

Even better than a Haegstrom's...thanks, Encyclopedia Rachel!

Hey, does anyone remember the Encyclopedia Brown series, where you got to solve the mystery?? Loved them!

[RockADS21]

Price is not an issue on my end...I may however need to be back to my office for a conference call but an hour and a half or so shouldnt be a problem. I will pick up a sake as well.