10.02.08
Review of Blue Ribbon Sushi, Wednesday August 2008
119 Sullivan & Prince/Spring Sts., 212-343-0404
Great for: rock shrimp tempura, orgasmic lobster with miso butter
Commodities Broker took my friend M and me out to dinner one night shortly after school. We had to wait about half an hour, but we did that in a bar down the street (the Room, it’s all beer and wine, quite nice) so I didn’t mind too much. Also, I knew I was going to have crazy delicious rock shrimp tempura soon.
The shrimp didn’t disappoint. It was every bit as wonderful as I remembered from last time. The yellowtail tartare with lots of scallion and a quail egg on top didn’t maintain the same high level, as it was a bit bland. M and CB attacked the edamame with gusto, and we also enjoyed the pork shumai. Beware the hot mustard that comes with the latter. The gyu tataki was somewhat bland too - the meat was good but it needed more soy sauce and slices. Six weren’t enough. Or maybe I’ve been spoiled by other places with ten or more slices.
We tried some jackfish, salmon and chutoro sushi, all of which were quite good. The blandness issue came up again with the two shrimp tempura rolls, though not with the spicy tuna and spicy crab rolls. I found the soy sauce massively salty. I’m not sure but I think it was in the low-sodium bottles – don’t know what’s up with that.
The hands down, chopsticks down, nearly pants down best part of the meal was the broiled lobster with miso butter. It was decadently awesome. I said the butter was like if KY tasted good. M, taking it to a whole ‘nother level, said it was what every girl wishes cum tasted like. (Am I allowed to say that on here? I guess since it’s my own site.) In any case, I completely agree with her. I confess to using the also-delectable pieces of lobster as succulent little convex spoons, because I just couldn’t get enough of the butter.
We worked our way through an enjoyable bottle of Black Dragon sake slowly, not because we weren’t trying, but because the glasses are quite tiny. We finished that as M and I mopped up the last few drops of miso butter. Dessert sake and a shared green tea crème brûlée rounded out our meal nicely. (See other review for my praise of the crème brûlée and service.)
I give them an extra half point solely for the lobster. (Thanks for telling us to get it, Dominique Angel.) Most of what we had this evening was at best a 7. If you come, get the shrimp tempura and the lobster, maybe some sushi pieces, and drink the rest of your dinner – that’s what I’m doing next time.
Rating: 7.5 / 10
Our cost: $463 (3 people, 1 large sake bottle, 3 glasses of dessert sake)
Noise level: not too bad
Chance of walking in: that’s a nice pipe dream. Put your name down and get a bottle of sake, it’ll be a while.
Dom Angel said,
October 4, 2008 at 23:01
Glad you enjoyed, Ms Devil. Lots of love and kisses!