Gajyumaru

[SobaAddict70]

This has become my favorite middle tier Japanese restaurant in the city. They're doing things that no other similar place in the neighborhood is that I know of.

A recent dinner involved a bento box featuring sliced lotus root in a miso broth, salt-baked mackerel, cubes of kabocha squash simmered in mirin and soy and luscious chunks of tatsuta age (batter-fried marinated chicken) in a perfectly crispy, greaseless coating.

Even the ginger-carrot dressing, that ubiquitous salad dressing tastes different. Here it's more piquant and less sweet, and the ginger is more pronounced.

I'm happily eating my way through their menu. I want to see what their chirashi looks like. They have a variation of chirashi, called bara-chirashi which is apparently cooked fish and vegetables/pickles, mixed into sushi rice.

http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/gajyumaru/ for the NY Mag review capsule.

1659 First Avenue (East 86th Street)

Edited November 23, 2010 by SobaAddict70 (log)

[ellenost]

This has become my favorite middle tier Japanese restaurant in the city. They're doing things that no other similar place in the neighborhood is that I know of.

A recent dinner involved a bento box featuring sliced lotus root in a miso broth, salt-baked mackerel, cubes of kabocha squash simmered in mirin and soy and luscious chunks of tatsuta age (batter-fried marinated chicken) in a perfectly crispy, greaseless coating.

Even the ginger-carrot dressing, that ubiquitous salad dressing tastes different. Here it's more piquant and less sweet, and the ginger is more pronounced.

I'm happily eating my way through their menu. I want to see what their chirashi looks like. They have a variation of chirashi, called bara-chirashi which is apparently cooked fish and vegetables/pickles, mixed into sushi rice.

http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/gajyumaru/ for the NY Mag review capsule.

1659 First Avenue (East 86th Street)

The other sushi restaurants in the neighborhood that I've tried are: Inase, Poke, Tokubei 86. Do you prefer Gajyumaru to them? Especially curious since Gajyumaru is around the corner from me.

[LPShanet]

This has become my favorite middle tier Japanese restaurant in the city. They're doing things that no other similar place in the neighborhood is that I know of.

A recent dinner involved a bento box featuring sliced lotus root in a miso broth, salt-baked mackerel, cubes of kabocha squash simmered in mirin and soy and luscious chunks of tatsuta age (batter-fried marinated chicken) in a perfectly crispy, greaseless coating.

Even the ginger-carrot dressing, that ubiquitous salad dressing tastes different. Here it's more piquant and less sweet, and the ginger is more pronounced.

I'm happily eating my way through their menu. I want to see what their chirashi looks like. They have a variation of chirashi, called bara-chirashi which is apparently cooked fish and vegetables/pickles, mixed into sushi rice.

http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/gajyumaru/ for the NY Mag review capsule.

1659 First Avenue (East 86th Street)

The other sushi restaurants in the neighborhood that I've tried are: Inase, Poke, Tokubei 86. Do you prefer Gajyumaru to them? Especially curious since Gajyumaru is around the corner from me.

To call Gajyumaru a "sushi restaurant" is missing the point a bit, I think. They're more about the cooked dishes, and traditional Japanese fare. If you're looking for good sushi in that area, I think Sasabune is probably better than any of the ones mentioned by a measurable margin. Also, if you like "new style" sushi, going down to to Gari or even Seki might be worth your while. However, if you like homier Japanese fare, the OP's suggestion is on the mark for the 'hood.