Sushi Yasuda

[jogoode]

Yasuda's sushi excels not only because of the quality of fish -- very often from the US as well as Japan and Europe -- but because of his rice and his shoyu, along with other raw ingredients. (The rice he uses is a blend of domestic rice.) I can't compare sushi in Japan to sushi in NY, but I can say that he has access to unbelievable fish and he might disagree with:

Secondly, by the time the fish is served on the table in Tokyo it is sitting on a plane to NY, this will add at least 24 hours to the time by which it can arrive on a table in NY.

as he believes fish fresh from the water are not always ideal for sushi.

[jbraynolds]

Many species of fish are never served straight out of the water. Also, the most in-demand sea urchin in the world is sourced out of the Pacific from an area between just north of San Diego up to around Santa Barbara. Then there are those sushi chefs who swear by the urchins from up near Nova Scotia...anyway, the U.S. is and has been a broad source for restaurants in Japan so high-end places here have access to product of quality equal to pretty much anybody in the home country (Pacific Northwest oysters or Taylor Bay scallops, anyone?). And don't forget that pretty much all tuna is frozen, anyway.

[Sinbad]

he might disagree with:

Secondly, by the time the fish is served on the table in Tokyo it is sitting on a plane to NY, this will add at least 24 hours to the time by which it can arrive on a table in NY.

as he believes fish fresh from the water are not always ideal for sushi.

This is primarily in reference to tuna which he stores for quite a significant amount of time. I agree that not all fish should necessarily be served fresh out of the water for sushi, but freshness is definitely a factor for quite a few items. The treatment after catching the fish on the boat until it is served is very critical according to the sushi experts I know and freshness is not the only deciding factor.

[Sinbad]

Many species of fish are never served straight out of the water. Also, the most in-demand sea urchin in the world is sourced out of the Pacific from an area between just north of San Diego up to around Santa Barbara. Then there are those sushi chefs who swear by the urchins from up near Nova Scotia...anyway, the U.S. is and has been a broad source for restaurants in Japan so high-end places here have access to product of quality equal to pretty much anybody in the home country (Pacific Northwest oysters or Taylor Bay scallops, anyone?). And don't forget that pretty much all tuna is frozen, anyway.

Sea urchins is a typical case where it generally agreed that California ones are the best and restaurants in California should be especially good at this. However, I read an article about the harvest in Santa Barbara, and it was said that the best quality sea urchins were always targeted for Japan. (Doesn't mean that US restaurants does not get access to the best quality).

However, where Japan excels is in the variety, on my last visit I ate sea-urchin from three regions in Japan at the same restaurant, all with their own characteristics (This was in a non-sushi place) and all very good and fresh.

Most tuna has been frozen. However, the best tuna(chu-toro) I have ever had was from tuna that never had been frozen. I have never seen it in the US(or anywhere else for that matter), but quite often in Japan.

[Fat Guy]

Sushi Yasuda maintains a fairly compelling Web site that explains a lot of the effort and training that goes into what they do.

http://www.sushiyasuda.com/home.html

Look, in particular, on the "Restaurant" page.

One thing that's worth pointing out is that there are a range of options available, pricewise, at Yasuda. At lunchtime it's possible to eat exceptionally well for under $30, provided you're willing to surrender all choice and forego certain premium products. But the lunch special is plentiful and, on account of its market-driven nature, tends to include some of the best stuff in the house. Of course you can also spend $200 or more per person on a dinner omakase.

[alanamoana]

i have to agree with most of the posts on this thread that sushi yasuda is the best sushi that i've ever had. unfortunately, when i was living in japan (and the yen rate was 275 to the dollar) i wasn't old enough nor inquisitive enough to eat anything more than at sushi robot-type places (with the conveyor belt where they add up your different patterned plates). haven't been back lately, either.

having said that, i am always happy with my meals at sushi yasuda. i was introduced to the restaurant by a japanese friend who loves the fact that it is traditional and doesn't offer all the crappy, gimmicky rolls that other places do (to use up the tempura crumbs and old fish). i really feel that for the price and quality, it would be hard to beat yasuda anywhere in the united states.

yasuda-san is a great host, the sushi chefs describe the fish for you, they recommend when to dip or when not to dip (depending on whether they've brushed the fish with a special sauce or "micro-brewed" shoyu). everyone is knowledgeable. to top it off, they're japanese (except for the white guy). in this city of chinese/burger/taco/korean/sushi joints all rolled into one, it is great to go where you can just get great tasting fresh fish!!

i also had my first date with my boyfriend at sy, so sentimentally it is memorable for me. he's been living in nyc for seven years and i had just moved to nyc. i suggested we go eat at a little sushi place i knew. he was nervous (as was i) and we sat there staring at the menu like a couple of goofs. yasuda-san took over and one after the other placed wonderful morsels of fish in front of us and took the time to describe everything. it was the best meal ever. my boyfriend was so impressed that i knew about this place that he had never heard of after only living in nyc for six months!

okay, enough babbling...

p.s. i do like sushi of gari...they have this great "tuna of gari" dish with like 10 pieces of sushi, all tuna done in different ways. it is great. now that place IS overpriced!

[Fat Guy]

15 pieces of sushi, for me, is a nice appetizer before having a pizza.

[jogoode]

15 pieces of sushi, for me, is a nice appetizer before having a pizza.

This from the guy who refused White Manna before Chinese.

But with respect to portion size, I've heard 10-15 pieces constitutes the traditional meal, although I've also heard that when sushi was still being served from outdoor stalls, people would stop by for 5 or so. Of course this doesn't mean Steven and others shouldn't consume as much as a large dolphin (Uh, they eat fish, right?). I would sooner stop in for a very occasional $40 snack with Yasuda and share Steven's pizza a bit later.

[Fat Guy]

This from the guy who refused White Manna before Chinese.

For those of you following along, JJ is one of these hummingbird-metabolism types. He weighs something like eleven pounds but he can eat more than me and Jason put together. We went out for one of the largest Chinese meals I've ever had in my life, and I knew it was going to be that way because we were going with a restaurant-reviewer friend and one of the world's leading fressers, so when JJ suggested we stop for a dozen White Manna sliders beforehand I told him we couldn't eat anything until dinner. At the end of the Chinese meal, as the rest of us were slouching in our chairs and groaning in surrender, JJ was still picking food off the plates as the waiters took them away. And on the way back he kept asking, "Do you think White Manna is still open?" Skinny bitch. I hate him.

But seriously, what is the calorie content of 15 pieces of sushi at a place like Yasuda (where the pieces tend to be properly diminutive)? I wonder how it compares to, say, a couple of slices of standard-issue New York pizza.

[Sinbad]

But seriously, what is the calorie content of 15 pieces of sushi at a place like Yasuda (where the pieces tend to be properly diminutive)? I wonder how it compares to, say, a couple of slices of standard-issue New York pizza.

Seems like 50 calories for one pice of sushi is a pretty good benchmark according to this link. One pice of Ootoro(Fatty Tuna) is around 70 calories, one piece of Salmon around 60 calories which are the two fattiest pieces of fish that came up to my mind.

http://member.nifty.ne.jp/maryy/eng/calorie.htm

[Fat Guy]

Okay, so call it 750 calories for 15 pieces of sushi. Now what about two slices of standard New York slice-shop pizza?

[SobaAddict70]

Okay, so call it 750 calories for 15 pieces of sushi. Now what about two slices of standard New York slice-shop pizza?

It's the rice that gets to you every time. Otherwise I concur with JJ, 15 pieces isn't a problem...usually.

Soba

[jogoode]

the rest of us were slouching in our chairs and groaning in surrender, JJ was still picking food off the plates as the waiters took them away

Damn right.

What does everyone think about the wasabi at Sushi Yasuda. It's clearly very high quality, but it's not always fresh. I think they've used fresh wasabi root in the past and I think it has been from Japan -- I know Yasuda avoids and disparages wasabi from Oregon. Otherwise I think it's been high-quality pre-grated stuff. I've heard from some chefs that fresh wasabi root from Japan is illegal to import. Morimoto in Philly (strange place), for one, insisted they had fresh root from Japan but I thought their wasabi tasted ordinary. Does anyone know anything about the restrictions on the import of wasabi? (No one wants to admit they don't serve fresh wasabi so maybe this illegal thing is just a scapegoat.)

[alanamoana]

What does everyone think about the wasabi at Sushi Yasuda. It's clearly very high quality, but it's not always fresh. I think they've used fresh wasabi root in the past and I think it has been from Japan -- I know Yasuda avoids and disparages wasabi from Oregon. Otherwise I think it's been high-quality pre-grated stuff. I've heard from some chefs that fresh wasabi root from Japan is illegal to import. Morimoto in Philly (strange place), for one, insisted they had fresh root from Japan but I thought their wasabi tasted ordinary. Does anyone know anything about the restrictions on the import of wasabi? (No one wants to admit they don't serve fresh wasabi so maybe this illegal thing is just a scapegoat.)

i ate at sushi yasuda on halloween night this year. i witnessed the haole (white) guy behind the sushi counter grating fresh wasabi root. it would seem logical to me that when he has the fresh stuff he uses it and when he doesn't he substitutes it with high quality prepared stuff. they do sell frozen, freshly ground wasabi that is rather expensive. i don't, however, know anything about customs or the legality of importing fresh wasabi. i didn't know that he didn't like the oregon stuff.

[wannabechef]

Hi Everyone,

Taking my wife to Yasuda tonight for her birthday. I read many many many glowing reviews of this restaurant here and elseware and I am excited to go. I was wondering though - is this an appropriate place for two sushi beginners? We're not that much beginners - but just started eating sushi semi-regularly over the last year. We don't want order anything too exotic, or risky. I figured that Yasuda would be a good place to try "the best" of the basics. ie - different grades of toro, yellowtail, etc.

Is Yasuda the kind of place where they will get annoyed at us if we don't do an all-out dinner? We're planning on trying to keep the tab at $120 and under total (we don't drink that much). Is this unreasonable? Also, this is a weeknight dinner and we're not sititng at the bar.

Does anyone have any recomendations of a plan of action for us? Also, what would be a good dish or two to try if we want to start to expand our sushi horizons slightly? Any advice is much appreciated!

Thanks,

~WBC

[bpearis]

I'm sure if you order a combination dinner, you can keep it at your price range but then you're not going to get what makes SY so great. The two times I have been it was a little over $100 per person -- including a beer. Are your reservations for the bar?

[Sinbad]

Wannabechef

You can propably keep the tab under $120 for two if you do not drink, and you avoid the more expensive items but my guess is that it will still be tight at dinner. As soon as you start trying different grades of Toro you will break the $120 budget easily.

My suggestion is to tell the waiters about your eating preference, your intended budget and see if they can do an omakase that fits your budget(I think the regular omakase is more). I don't think that they will get annoyed, the service is always exceptional at Yasuda.

[wannabechef]

I hear ya. I'm just trying to taste some excellent renditions of some classics, with maybe a few different things thrown in. I was imagining, an app or two, 2 drinks, and then just an assortment of rolls and sushi pieces. Is this reasonable? Just don't have the $$$ to go all out.

Also, are there any deserts that I should or shouldn't miss? Does anyone know of a good desert place in the hood? I know about Saka Gara across the street but never been there. Maybe we'll head there after dinner and check it out.

thanks for the help...

~WBC

[jogoode]

The restaurant definitely won't mind your not going all out on dinner. I've seen plenty of people sit at the bar for dinner and spend only fifty bucks. I have spent less. The hardest part about sticking to a budget is turning down Yasuda's recommendations when you know you've already exhausted your alotted money. So I also think you should make the staff -- or the chef, depending on where you're sitting -- aware of your budget. And if you didn't reserve a seat at the bar, you should see if any are still available -- it's a more valuable experience in general, not only because you can communicate preferences with the chef and ask questions, but because it's fun to see the chefs at work. I hope you enjoy your meal. Please let us know what you think.

[wannabechef]

The restaurant definitely won't mind your not going all out on dinner. I've seen plenty of people sit at the bar for dinner and spend only fifty bucks. I have spent less. The hardest part about sticking to a budget is turning down Yasuda's recommendations when you know you've already exhausted your alotted money.

Thanks! That definately makes me feel more comfortable. I was looking over the menu and starting to feel a bit intimidated. Our seats are not at the bar as it was full - but I think I feel better about a table for my first time. I'll definately ask the server about doing an omakase and be sure to report back!

~WBC

[wannabechef]

Ok, here's my Yasuda report:

I immediately liked the place as soon as I walked through the door. The staff were overwelmingly warm and friendly. We were seated at the exact time of our reservation at a table in the back. After pondering the menu for a while, we decided to "wimp out" and get the Sushi prixe fix. Not for price reasons per say, but just because we didn't even know where to begin with the rest of the menu and weren't ready to brave the omakase.

Anyway, I ordered a sake and my wife a Japanese soda. When they brought the drinks they also brought us a tiny dish which was salmon skin in some sort of vinegar dressing. Delicious. My wife got the red miso soup with clam, and I got a grilled teryaki Chilean Sea Bass appetizer. Both were outstanding. The soup had 4 or 5 clams in it and my sea bass was possibly one of the best pieces of fish I've ever eaten.

Next came my salad which was part of the Sushi prixe fix. Great standard salad with a miso dressing. Then our sushi came. I got 5 sushi pieces - salmon, yellowtail, rainbow trout, tuna, and mackeral. The rolls I got were salmon skin roll and tuna with scallion roll. Everything was truly outstanding. At first I didn't notice that most of the sushi pieces already had some soy sauce on them so they didn't require any extra dipping. My only complaint about the sushi was that each piece, including the rolls, had wasabi already on them. I like wasabi, but some pieces had too much for me and I felt it to be overwelming. I was surprised that they did this because I would think there are a lot of people who may not like wasabi, and also that it maybe masks the flavor of the sushi. Maybe someone who knows more about sushi can explain to me why it's done this way here. Even still though, it was fantastic.

The star of the show for me though was the toro sushi pieces we got. We only got one piece each for a taste - of the second highest grade they had that night. It literally tasted like butter in my mouth. Phenomenal. By the end of all this food, we were aboslutely stuffed and couldn't eat another bite.

As for the service - it was great. Even though almost everything we got was standard sushi, the server was extremely helpful in explaning to us the differences between many of the items. One thing I really appreciated - after we first ordered -the server came back 10 minutes later and suggested that we may want to switch one of them because two of the pieces we got were very similar - both white fish, etc. (I don't remember exactly what they were). I don't know if it was her that noticed, or the chef, but I told her we were beginners I felt she wanted us to experience a good variety. I told her to just recomend something good and that's how I got the rainbow trout.

My only criticism of the service was that it was slightly brisk. I did feel like the meal was moving pretty fast, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. We sat there for almost 90 minutes which is plenty of time for a relaxed meal - and we didn't feel rushed.

The total bill came to $115 - including a 22% tip - much less than I was expecting to spend. Overall, I would definately go back here again - but next time I will come with a bigger wallet, sit at the bar, and perhaps try an omakase. Question about that: do you just get the choice of the chef who you're sitting in front of? Or does Yasuda-san do all of the omakase himself? Does this make the seats directly in front of the master more in demand?

Again, I dont' have too much to compare to, but this was definately the best sushi I've ever eaten. Overall great experience.

~WBC

[tommy]

nice report, wbc.

as far as wasabi on sushi, i think that's pretty much standard in sushi making. it shouldn't overpower though, i would think.

[Fat Guy]

My understanding is that traditional sushi chefs treat wasabi the way traditional French chefs treat salt: when the dish comes out of the kitchen, it is supposed to have the ideal amount in it already.

[Sinbad]

Question about that: do you just get the choice of the chef who you're sitting in front of? Or does Yasuda-san do all of the omakase himself? Does this make the seats directly in front of the master more in demand?

Great Report, glad you enjoyed the evening.

When I made reservations I always asked to sit at the counter at Yasuda-sans corner, and I was always seated there. Friends that I recommended to do the same thing have also told me that they always ended up at his corner. My recommendation is to sit there not only because of the Sushi but also because if he is in the mood he will tell you a few things about "the art of sushi" if you are interested.

[jogoode]

I'm glad you liked it! And do go back to sit at the bar. Maybe for lunch. Another advantage of sitting at the bar would have been that as your sushi was put in front of you, a few pieces at a time, the chef would have noted your visible wincing and adjusted the amount of wasabi. If you prefer less wasabi, you have to let someone know because the chef will always put on what he thinks is the ideal amount, as Fat Guy said.

Last time I went, I was eating at the bar with Yasuda and turning my pieces upside as I put them in my mouth (so the fish touches the tongue first). I do -- I swear -- appreciate his sushi rice, but this was how I had read you were supposed to eat. Yasuda told me that the author of the book, once we had remembered his name, knew nothing. And he told me not to think so much. Just eat and enjoy. [Edit: I should add that he also suggested I put the piece in my mouth right side up.]

Question about that: do you just get the choice of the chef who you're sitting in front of? Or does Yasuda-san do all of the omakase himself? Does this make the seats directly in front of the master more in demand?

If you ask for a reservation at the bar, they'll ask what chef you'd like. And yes those seats in front of Yasuda are almost always, if not always, filled. The other chefs, I'm told, serve great sushi as well. Can anyone who has sat at the bar with someone other than Yasuda compare experiences?

Edited December 18, 2003 by jogoode (log)