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Hasake

DanaT

By DanaT
in New York: Dining

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DanaT

DanaT

Posted
Posted

Its been mentioned here before but Hasaki at 9th Street off 3rd Ave. is an exceptional good value for those who prefer the traditional Japanese sushi (read that-small pieces) .

http://www.newyork-eating.com/4732.htm

I stopped off after a late night at work and ordered from the alacarte menu that changes nightly. This time I didn't want to go all out and chose a combination of lower priced faves and higher quality fish.

After a red miso soup, I had the following:

ikura

red crab

engawa

copper river salmon

toro taku

and then some lower priced faves

simmered ika

sawara

soy cured tuna

Together with a small hot sake, the total was $43 (including tip) It was a very delightful meal that gave value for the money.

The service is leisurely and the sake menu is not the greatest but if you're in the area, its well worth a visit.

Todd36

Todd36

Posted
Posted

It's above average, traditional sushi at a fair price. It's part of Bon Yagi's empire, I think it may have been his first place.

Other bits of his empire:

Sobya, which has good soba noodles.

Cha An, which is a tea house and is probably the most refined of his places (also the newest).

Decibel, which has food that should be avoided and variable sake, make sure what you get is fresh, served in a not so nice basement.

Those three (plus Hasaki), are within feet of each other.

He also owns

Rai Rai Ken, a noodle place I've never been to.

Shabu-Tatsu East village, never been there either.

Sakegura, a good high end sake bar.

He may own Otafuku, the okonomiyaki place down the block from Hasaki, either he does or the guy who owns the Sunrise Mart empire does, I don't remember which (that empire includes two supermarkets, Angel Share (the bar), Around the Clock (scary diner like thing), Village Yochenko (mostly cooked bar food), the sushi place under Village Yochenko and last but not least, Dojo!!!

That's right folks, two guys own many of the Japanese food establishments around St. Mark's. I suspect they have other places as well, or partial ownership interests. I've heard each group has 12-15 places. No master websites, so its a guessing game.

Josh

Josh

Posted
Posted
That's right folks, two guys own many of the Japanese food establishments around St. Mark's.  I suspect they have other places as well, or partial ownership interests.  I've heard each group has 12-15 places.  No master websites, so its a guessing game.

Very interesting. If I had to list many of my favorite places in NYC, many would have come from that list... Huh. Who knew it was all the same guy? Thanks for the tidbit, Todd.

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime." -- Mark Twain

Todd36

Todd36

Posted
Posted
That's right folks, two guys own many of the Japanese food establishments around St. Mark's.  I suspect they have other places as well, or partial ownership interests.  I've heard each group has 12-15 places.  No master websites, so its a guessing game.

Very interesting. If I had to list many of my favorite places in NYC, many would have come from that list... Huh. Who knew it was all the same guy? Thanks for the tidbit, Todd.

Getting off topic (new thread please?) Benihanna bought Haru a few years back....Haru had been part of the Arthur Cuttler empire.

Most of these Japanese restaurants of the Sobya-Hasaki type are small, and have limited start-up costs, probably on the order of a few hundred thousand dollars. There may also be investors involved. It's not suprising that they expand every year, it doesn't that much capital to open Char An for example. I suspect, but don't know for a fact, that Bon Yagi owns the Japanese video store that was where Char An is now and that his business office is the top floor of that building. The interesting part is that Decibel, a bona fide dump, has the same owner as say Char An or Sobaya, both of which are refined restsuanrants on the same block.....

mascarpone

mascarpone

Posted
Posted
It's above average, traditional sushi at a fair price.  It's part of Bon Yagi's empire, I think it may have been his first place.

Other bits of his empire:

Sobya, which has good soba noodles.

Cha An, which is a tea house and is probably the most refined of his places (also the newest).

Decibel, which has food that should be avoided and variable sake, make sure what you get is fresh, served in a not so nice basement.

Those three (plus Hasaki), are within feet of each other.

He also owns

Rai Rai Ken, a noodle place I've never been to.

Shabu-Tatsu East village, never been there either.

Sakegura, a good high end sake bar.

He may own Otafuku, the okonomiyaki place down the block from Hasaki, either he does or the guy who owns the Sunrise Mart empire does, I don't remember which (that empire includes two supermarkets, Angel Share (the bar), Around the Clock (scary diner like thing), Village Yochenko (mostly cooked bar food), the sushi place under Village Yochenko and last but not least, Dojo!!!

That's right folks, two guys own many of the Japanese food establishments around St. Mark's.  I suspect they have other places as well, or partial ownership interests.  I've heard each group has 12-15 places.  No master websites, so its a guessing game.

I went to Rai Rai ken. It was just ok, I thought; not great. I prefer the Midtown West branch of Men Kui Tei (60 West 56 Street; 212-757-1642). There is an East Village Men Kui Tei that I have never been to(63 Cooper Sq., 212-226-4152). I wonder if they are also owned by Bo Yagi.

Todd36

Todd36

Posted
Posted

Not sure who owns Men Kui Tei There are a couple of other Japanese restuarant empires in Manhattan, and one of them may own it. More reseach required.

DanaT

DanaT

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Not all the restaurants this group owns are of the same quality as Hasaki. I think Choisi is also owned by the same group but I've always been disappointed there; I've never been disappointed at Hasaki.

Hasaki has an excellent Sushi Authentic lunch which is like a mini Omakase (you get uni, chu-toro, and anago with about 8 other pieces for about $20) The fish is always good and for the price it can't be beat. One plus is that I haven't seen a difference the quality between eating at the sushi bar or sitting at a table.

Offtopic Shabu-Tatsu is around the corner from Hasaki. It was satisfying when I went but I don't have anything to compare it to.

DanaT

DanaT

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Hi George,

Funny that you say that. I would have said the same thing about a year ago. I remember having to get there 30 minutes before they open to get a seat; but the crowds seem to have thinned down a bit? I've gone at different times.

The ironic part of it is that I think the sushi quality has actually gotten better. It used to be unpredictable - some pieces great and some unforgettable. Now its more consistently good across the board.

hrowe

hrowe

Posted
Posted
the sushi quality has actually gotten better. It used to be unpredictable - some pieces great and some unforgettable.

Great to unforgettable sounds pretty good to me!

:rolleyes:

DanaT

DanaT

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
the sushi quality has actually gotten better. It used to be unpredictable - some pieces great and some unforgettable.

Great to unforgettable sounds pretty good to me!

:rolleyes:

:raz: silly me...I meant forgettable!

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