Ushi Wakamaru

[Fat Guy]

I've started a separate topic for discussion of live versus processed uni. It would be great if those who have staked out positions here could summarize them there. Thanks.

[LPShanet]

No real major point to this post, other than to report that I had a massive omakase dinner late last night at Ushi Wakamaru, and it's still as great as ever. Ate about 30 pieces of yumminess, including a few I'd never had before, and apparently a few Hideo has never bothered to serve before. As far as I can tell, it's still the best high quality sushi deal in NYC, although not cheap by objective terms. I'd bore everyone with a partial list of what I ate, but I'm sure there are only a few of us who care.

[Fat Guy]

I bet folks would be interested in hearing about some of the more unusual items you had.

[raji]

I'd love to know what you remember of what you ate

[JWangSDC]

No real major point to this post, other than to report that I had a massive omakase dinner late last night at Ushi Wakamaru, and it's still as great as ever.  Ate about 30 pieces of yumminess, including a few I'd never had before, and apparently a few Hideo has never bothered to serve before.  As far as I can tell, it's still the best high quality sushi deal in NYC, although not cheap by objective terms.  I'd bore everyone with a partial list of what I ate, but I'm sure there are only a few of us who care.

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List and price would be amazing

[JWangSDC]

No real major point to this post, other than to report that I had a massive omakase dinner late last night at Ushi Wakamaru, and it's still as great as ever.  Ate about 30 pieces of yumminess, including a few I'd never had before, and apparently a few Hideo has never bothered to serve before.  As far as I can tell, it's still the best high quality sushi deal in NYC, although not cheap by objective terms.  I'd bore everyone with a partial list of what I ate, but I'm sure there are only a few of us who care.

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List and price would be amazing

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Had dinner there with 2 friends last night, basically got 2 15 piece specials.

They had no kasugo

I had...

Toro

Zuke

Seared Salmon

Aji

red Snapper

Scallop

Octopus

Seared Bearfish(?). I thought it was grunt fish but he said it wasn't.

Abalone

Botan Ebi

Shiro Ebi

Sayori

Kohada

Uni

Ikura

Mirgai

Saba

Kobe Beef

I think it's safe teh say the variety is behind 15east and well behind Yasuda. The 15piece is a great deal, the problem is it leaves me craving more sushi but they dont' really have the variety for me to want 30 pieces. If I were paying ala carte prices I would rather go to 15 east/shimzu/yasuda.

[LPShanet]

Sorry for the slow response, which also means that my memory has faded further. Still, I'll see what I can put together for everyone.

For the record, I ordered purely omakase, not any of the assorted special combos or sets, which I think makes a BIG difference in what you get. It's really unrealistic to compare a 15 piece set with eating omakase somewhere else. Also, as Hideo knows my taste (broad), I have the advantage that he'll always try to give me anything unusual/interesting, and also makes sure I get anything that's especially good that day.

In terms of variety, I've found the exact opposite from the above post, based on many visits to all the places in question. I've had many things over my visits at Ushi that I never see at 15 East, Shimizu or even Yasuda. There's a ton of stuff that varies daily (as it should at any good sushiya), and therefore isn't on the menu. If anything, I find that the aforementioned other places, while among my favorites, have LESS variety than Ushi on a good night. Still, all of them are very good, and I'm happy to head to any of them if someone suggests it:) In fact, tonight is Tuesday, which is a good night for sushi...

Some of the things I had:

Sashimi:

Baby sea eel sashimi with dipping sauce and daikon

A small sashimi plate (botan ebi, otoro, shima aji)

Sushi (not in order):

- Kampachi

- Aji

- Saba (one of the best examples I've tried)

- Kohada

- Ikura (still the best example I've had in NYC)

- Tako (sea salt and lemon...VERY tender, much like Masato's at 15 East)

- Sayori

- Tai

- Another type of snapper whose Japanese name I don't remember, but Hideo said he had never thought of ordering it before, and really liked it after trying it on a whim/recommendation.

- Otoro

- Shima Aji

- Shira ebi (wonderful ones!)

- Uni

- Mirugai (perfect, still moving)

- Anago (hope it wasn't the father of those babies I ate)

- Hotate (live)

- Ikashi (not sure if I've transliterated this right, as it was new to me)

- Karei

- Homemade tamago

- at least one seared item I can't remember

- Kinmedai

- a new piece, prepared gunkan style, that involved many kinds of egg in one. The base was American hackleback sturgeon caviar, and it was topped with a quail egg that had been cooked at low temp until almost poached and shreds of egg, as well as a glaze. Remarkable.

- Suzuki

- Iwashi

I'm leaving out a few, but this is a start. I'll post any more that I think of.

The overall price worked out to about $6 a piece. With two of us eating and a few beers for each of us (and for Hideo), it was a little over $300.

Edited April 15, 2008 by LPShanet (log)

[JWangSDC]

Been back here a couple times this year. Every single time it was completely packed. Today I went @ 9pm(a monday) and it was no different, totally packed. Business is booming.

[JWangSDC]

- Saba (one of the best examples I've tried)

I'm a huge fan of mackerel but it seems to be a rare thing . Shime-Saba (pickled mackerel) is the stuff normal sushi restaurants serve. I've even been served it at 15 east and Ushi. As of right now, the best saba I've ever had was @ yasuda 2-3 weeks ago and 2nd best was Shimizu 2-3 years ago. It's truly a great thing to get fresh saba (not sanma or some other fish in the mackerel family). If I had reread your post before going to ushi tonight I would have made it a point to check if any was available. Oh well, there's always tomorrow.

[raji]

Been back here a couple times this year. Every single time it was completely packed. Today I went @ 9pm(a monday) and it was no different, totally packed. Business is booming.

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I'm really glad to hear that... immediately after the DOH and renovation, it was not, but I knew with that location it would pick up sooner or later.... and in general I see people who like to go out in that area graduate from Tomoe to blue ribbon to Ushi

[raji]

I'm a huge fan of mackerel but it seems to be a rare thing . Shime-Saba (pickled mackerel) is the stuff normal sushi restaurants serve. I've even been served it at 15 east and Ushi. As of right now, the best saba I've ever had was @ yasuda 2-3 weeks ago and 2nd best was Shimizu 2-3 years ago. It's truly a great thing to get fresh saba (not sanma or some other fish in the mackerel family). If I had reread your post before going to ushi tonight I would have made it a point to check if any was available. Oh well, there's always tomorrow.

I think the "fresh" saba you had was still slightly pickled or processed in some fashion, so the flavor of the fish probably depends on that particular chef's method - it has to be, or, according to one of my Japanese dining buddies who worked in a sushi bar, you'll end up on the can with a butterfish-type situation...

I'll ask him to post about it (I've been goading him to join the board for some time now); it's funny cuz we were just talking about this the other night as we were enjoying Kamui Den's fine rendition of it - the chef there is formerly of Hasaki and he does a really good job with it. I also picked up a very nice whole Spanish Mackeral this past weekend, and I was going to attempt it, but he told me it was too much of pain in the ass and just to grill it.

[LPShanet]

- Saba (one of the best examples I've tried)

I'm a huge fan of mackerel but it seems to be a rare thing . Shime-Saba (pickled mackerel) is the stuff normal sushi restaurants serve. I've even been served it at 15 east and Ushi. As of right now, the best saba I've ever had was @ yasuda 2-3 weeks ago and 2nd best was Shimizu 2-3 years ago. It's truly a great thing to get fresh saba (not sanma or some other fish in the mackerel family). If I had reread your post before going to ushi tonight I would have made it a point to check if any was available. Oh well, there's always tomorrow.

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Like you, I'm often saddened by the lack of good saba in this town. And I totally agree that there's sometimes some to be had at Shimizu. Keep trying...it's not an everytime thing at Ushi, but when it's good, it's good.

Edited July 22, 2008 by LPShanet (log)

[JWangSDC]

Been back here a couple times this year. Every single time it was completely packed. Today I went @ 9pm(a monday) and it was no different, totally packed. Business is booming.

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Been there twice more since July 18th and always on mondays. Place is completely packed, I always call for reservations the day of about an hour or 90 before hand.

Also Todd said he felt 15 east was a fashion oriented restaurant and not a place to get the best sushi. I agree, the restaurant truly is that. But it happens to have a chef which can deliver the goods. You have to sit with him and let him know you are there for his skills and the fish and then you will be rewarded. Also I'd like to illustrate my distaste for the new head waiter. I forget his name, though i think it's stephen, but he has ruined my meal the last 4X I've gone. He's always friendly and pretends to know me and know sushi, but this guy is a fool and loves to inflate people's checks. I had a $120 sushi bar tasting course @ a table and requested kasugo and he gave me some katsuo instead. He also served me the worst items on the menu and many dishes from the ktichen even though I specifically asked for sushi/sashimi ONLY. Then to make it up to me he told me masato had offered to make me some fish to make up for it so I went for that.(because it is something masato would normally do for me). What ended up happening was I was charged DOUBLE for the ala carte items(which I complained about). But the way he spoke about it, I expected to have them comped completely. Seriously hate the guy and if any of you guys go, don't trust him for a second. My first time dealing with him was at lunch where he charged me $75 for the lunch tuna flgith(which is $55). After I complained and he corrected it, he told me how he had just mischarged another table for 5 of them and how it was funny because the gentleman had a black amex card. Seriously I want to complain to marco and masato and have him fired.

[dabestspooner]

Is Stephen the bald guy in the suit? He asked me if there was anything I dont eat, I told him "sazae" and he was like "I dont know what the f that is"

[JWangSDC]

Is Stephen the bald guy in the suit?  He asked me if there was anything I dont eat, I told him "sazae" and he was like "I dont know what the f that is"

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That's him. He's a total jerk. The thing is, I've known masato for 5 years now and while I wouldn't claim to be his friend, he certainly treats me like a regular. This guy stephen is good at pretending he thinks of you as a regular and then messing up your orders. Out of politeness for Masato, I didn't yell or complain about the bald guy messing up my order and meal. But after it happened twice...I'm extremely peeved. I guess it doesn't matter since I only enjoy sushi bar meals, its' just a shame that he ruined the two times I went with large parties. If Masato ever asks me about my table service, I will be quick to shoutout complaints, but as is I feel awkward just bringing it up and complaining.