12.07.10
Posted in Asian, East Village, Japanese, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 7 to 7.5, small plates at 01:11 by Dominique
231 E.9th St. & 2nd/3rd Aves., 212-979-9674
Great for: skewers, kamameshi, atypical New York Japanese cuisine
My dear friend Dominique – she of the birthday that a shattered shoulder couldn’t make me miss – came along to help me use my Blackboard Eats discount. I like having grown-up girls’ dinners. It feels very chic and sophisticated. Whether two reformed club girls are as classy as we look now is another story, of course. (I like to think I improve myself every day.)
We started with the highly-recommended yuba gyoza, which were tofu sheet dumplings with minced chicken and shiso. They were bland, though salt and ponzu helped.
Since robatayaki is the restaurant’s raison d’être, we ordered mostly that. The special of corn was great, much better than you’d expect from what seems to be just a bit of corn on the cob with soy sauce. They did a great job with the filet mignon with wasabi and house dipping sauce, which tasted nutty and amazing. The tasty spiced lamb was also really good. The one misstep was the weird, kind of hard hotate (scallop) in umami sauce. Fortunately the last thing, young hamachi fillet with salt, was mainly tasty.
The waitress persuaded us to also get the kamameshi with salmon and salmon roe. Initially we thought rice with stuff on top would be nothing special. We were very happy to be proved wrong. It was so simple and yet so wonderful. I think I’ve seen this on other traditional menus and I will definitely be trying it again.
We rounded out our meal with some dessert. Two scoops of their green tea ice cream turned out to be exactly what I was hoping for. D tried the black sesame warabi mochi, made from bracken starch and covered with kinako soy bean flour and brown sugar syrup. It was quite nice, though not my cup of tea.
The waitresses were all very polite and helpful. The restaurant looks a little crazy in front but the back is quieter and it’s a fun atmosphere. This is good food in an area not known for its outstanding cuisine, so bravo to them.
Rating: 7 / 10
Our cost: $90 not including discount
Noise level: noisy
Chance of walking in: they are very busy, you should reserve.
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11.26.10
Posted in Asian, East Village, Japanese, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 7 to 7.5, small plates at 03:28 by Dominique
119 2nd Ave. & 7th St., 212-982-4285
Great for: meat yakitori, gyoza, trying many small things
If you like to nosh on tons of little nibbles, as I do, this is the place for you. It even has decent ramen and happy hour deals.
Of the skewers, which are all $2, my favorites were the chicken breast and thigh with scallion. The shrimp was very tasty but overcooked, and the salmon was also good but the seasoning left something to be desired. The skirt steak was flavorful and slightly tough.
Beef ramen is quite good for only $7.99. The noodles are nice and chewy, and I very much enjoyed the ample amount of lovely shredded beef. I did have to add a lot of spices to the broth. And I really liked the six terrific gyoza for $2.99. They had properly thin skin, and though I could do with more meat I heartily recommend them.
Everyone was nice even if the service was a bit slow, and we were there around 4:30 pm, which I know is a weird time for the kitchen. I doubt it’s normally a problem. The food was good enough to jolly me out of a bad mood.
Rating: 7 / 10
Our cost: $40 (including green tea and a small bottle of Coke)
Noise level: probably loud when the NYU kids are there
Chance of walking in: probably not too bad.
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10.25.10
Posted in Asian, Barbecue, Japanese, Lower East Side, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 8 to 8.5 at 00:30 by Dominique
198 Orchard and Houston Sts. [already closed, sadly]
Great for: hibachi, of course
The dreaded NYC hibachi curse has struck again. I was so happy when I noticed this place opened up by my house, and devastated when I realized after several unanswered phone calls that they had closed in a few short months. I guess this is a bit of a useless review, but at least I can memorialize them. Cheap, delicious and nearby – I’m gutted they didn’t make it.
The then-Boyfriend and I liked the edamame, though $4 was a little much for it. The tempura appetizer with two giant shrimp and five large vegetable slices was crisp, light, wonderful and only $6.95. (Maybe that’s why they went out of business.) I am so tired of Japanese restaurants that charge an arm and a leg for maybe one shrimp, one sad little broccoli spear and a mushroom or slice of taro. This app was a big step in the right direction.
I was delighted with my hibachi entrée of filet mignon plus shrimp with fried rice and side of broccoli. The beef was not super tender but everything was very flavorful and I could tell they didn’t just drown it all in butter, which is usually why hibachi tastes so awesome. I was surprised to get four broccoli pieces for $4, especially considering the entire entrée was only $11.95. He got filet mignon plus teriyaki chicken, which was absolutely fantastic. I wish I’d been able to have it again so I could figure out how to make it myself. The mango ice cream was also great and enormous, to boot.
Not only did JC have mostly cheap, very tasty food, the décor was nice and restrained. Benihana could learn something from them. There was a sushi bar in front and they made the hibachi things in the kitchen. My impression, admittedly from just one visit, is that maybe they didn’t think through their pricing very well. Some things were oddly expensive, while others were strangely cheap. I am not sure I could buy filet mignon raw at Whole Foods for $11.95/pound, let alone cooked and with shrimp and fried rice. The location was good for foot traffic and random walk-ins, so I don’t think that was it. Anyway, I am very sad they closed. I really wanted to support them and it’s too bad I didn’t get the chance to do so more than once.
Rating: 8.5 / 10 (extra .5 for being super cheap and really good)
Our cost: $$45 (15% off)
Noise level: quiet
Chance of walking in: will never happen again. *sob*
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09.05.10
Posted in Asian, East Village, Japanese, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 7 to 7.5 at 01:43 by Dominique
210 E.9th St. & 3rd/2nd Aves., 212-473-3327
Great for: civilized sushi/sashimi in college kid-filled East Village
I read about this place in the New York Diet section of NY Magazine and got really excited to try it. I’d say it’s almost as good as I expected, but more expensive, especially for the area.
The three of us started with the tempura app of two shrimp, one broccoli and one eggplant. It was pretty crispy with nice sauce, though I wish $10 bought a bit more. I guess the giant shrimp is costly. They have a heavy hand with the miso in its soup, which is consequently only ok. On the other hand, salad with carrot ginger sauce is lovely.
The sushi and sashimi for two is great. It comes with fairly standard fish; 16 pieces of super fresh sashimi, 8 lovely pieces of sushi and 2 small rolls all for $40. It’s probably the best deal on the menu. We rounded out dinner with 2 more pieces of salmon sushi and a large scoop of delicious green tea ice cream.
Rating: 7.5 / 10
Our cost: $90
Noise level: quiet, but it’s popular
Chance of walking in: not terrible, open ’til at least 11 every night.
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03.03.10
Posted in Asian, Japanese, Midtown East, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 7 to 7.5 at 17:10 by Dominique
213 E.45th St. & 3rd/2nd Aves., 212-867-5454
Great for: trying lots of small things, robata (grill) items
I have wanted to try this place since it opened and I heard terrific things about it. Finally, one lunchtime I got to go. Now I want to have dinner there too, especially since I didn’t get to try any robata things. Who knows when that’ll happen, though.
The amuse bouche of grilled octopus was terrific; meaty, not rubbery, and very unexpected at lunchtime (the fact that they served an amuse bouche, not the cephalopod itself). That is only the third time in my life I have unreservedly enjoyed octopus. To the kitchen: bravo!
P got organic teriyaki chicken over rice, which came in a nice, hefty, delicious portion. I was very hungry and did the lunch special where you can get two different things for only slightly more than the price of one. My grilled washu beef was delightful. (Washu is a hybridization of Kobe and Black Angus.) I rarely eat rice, but if you pour such tasty sauce on it I will be forced to happily eat all the saucy bits. I also really liked the salmon flakes with salmon roe over more rice. They clearly craft their dishes with care here, and it showed.
I was pretty full by this time, as you can imagine, when out came a complimentary tiny apple pie flute. I enjoyed my nibble of it, as I did the carafe of Otokoyama Kimoto sake. The service is deferential and extremely polite, as it is at most Japanese restaurants. This one certainly stays on my list.
Rating: 7.5 / 10, pending dinner visit
Our cost: $70 (lunch, 1 carafe sake)
Noise level: polite hum
Chance of walking in: maybe decent, but I’d probably call ahead.
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02.22.10
Posted in Asian, Greenwich Village, Japanese, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 6 to 6.5, small plates at 23:56 by Dominique
11 Barrow St. & W.4th St., 212-675-7775
Great for: interesting little plates
I was supposed to audition for this show in the far West Village. They said I should watch it first to be sure I wasn’t offended by the religious mocking. I knew I wouldn’t be, but it’s always nice to see a free show. Except this one. The singing sucked ass, the story made no sense, and if the people had got up on stage and masturbated it would have been far less solipsistic and annoying. In any case, we ran away as soon as the show ended, to a place with redeeming qualities.
We both got the chashu ramen. A simple broth with just noodles, scallions, very thin pork slices and and radish bits, it’s pretty good. I give them props for doing something simply and well. $14 is a little expensive for what it is, though. We got more mileage out of the bottle of organic Sho Chiku Bai Nama.
Our service was nice and the place seems quite popular. There are lots of interesting little plates I’d try in a more adventurous mood.
Rating: 6.5 / 10
Our cost: $55 (2 ramens, 1 bottle sake)
Noise level: depends how drunk the other patrons are
Chance of walking in: not good.
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01.03.10
Posted in Asian, Japanese, Lower East Side, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 7 to 7.5 at 21:53 by Dominique
245 Eldridge St. & Houston/Stanton Sts., 212-358-7773
Great for: a quiet meal in that random Milk & Honey part of the LES, sushi
It was a sushi kind of Sunday, and after some Blackberry consultation, the New Boyfriend and I settled on this place. Our starter of furikake-dusted calamari with nori, sesame seeds and lime aïoli was pretty good, but not that impressive. The calamari could have been less rubbery and the aïoli was a bit distracting; it needed more spice and less citrus.
I was happier with my sushi sashimi combo. The tuna, salmon and hamachi sushi were well executed, as were the good-size pieces of salmon, tuna, shrimp and yellowtail nigiri. The spicy tuna maki were small and nice. Our favorite thing of the meal was the creative and spicy yellowfin tuna roll with Thai basil.
In a word, the meal was nice. So was our service, mostly. Initially we were the only patrons, and asked them to switch the channel to poker. We sat facing the TV and discussing the action. Then two guys came in and unasked, the owner changed back to baseball. Which the guys, who weren’t even facing the TV, ignored. Poker might be a slightly odd request but I found the switching back quite rude. I’m not deducting points for that; it was just a weird footnote to an otherwise pleasant dinner.
Rating: 7 / 10
Our cost: $65 (1 app, 1 combo, 2 rolls)
Noise level: quiet, but it was empty
Chance of walking in: good.
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12.19.09
Posted in Asian, East Village, eclectic, Japanese, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 8 to 8.5 at 11:53 by Dominique
171 1st Ave. & 10th/11th Sts., 212-777-7773
Great for: pork buns, ramen, enough fried chicken to feed a small army, trying interesting entrées
In the beginning, there was Noodle Bar. David Chang looked around, and saw that it was good (and that people were willing to line up for hours to get a chance at his food). So he created Ssäm Bar, Ko, Milk Bar and just this month, Má Pêche. I love his food, whichever market level he aims at, but Noodle Bar was one of the first restaurants that introduced me to the foodie world, and it has a special place in my heart. This particular visit was for the fried chicken meal, courtesy of my friend T’s reservation-snagging skills.
One girl was very late and the rest of us used that as an excuse to get the life-changing pork and chicken buns. To stave off starvation, you understand. I had resisted trying those for a long time, since I don’t eat bread or fat. But the buns are worth going off any diet. My only concession to staying slim is letting fat drip out the back. Each order has two buns, which you will probably want to yourself. The chicken version has a piece of fried skin included, which is totally awesome, though not quite as orgasmic as the pork.
At long last, it was time for the giant platter of two fried chickens. 
One is seasoned with Old Bay; the other is Korean-style. I preferred the Old Bay style, though it’s a tad too salty. It is the perfect level of crunchy and crispy, though. The Korean chicken was also good, but I felt the sauce could have been integrated into the meat more. As if all that chicken weren’t enough, the meal is accompanied by a bowl of lovely crisp veggies, four sauces and moo shu wraps. 
I didn’t use the last, but I actually enjoyed the greens, and everyone was delighted with their wraps. I found myself eating raw radishes for the very first time in my life (with liberal dollops of jalapeño chili sauce). Generally a fun time, especially at $100 for two chickens with unlimited fixins’ for six people. It was not quite as perfect as I thought it might be, but I’d give the chicken a solid 7.5 / 10.
The ramens are also very tasty (from several other visits). The Momofuku ramen is salty goodness and the pork ramen is cheaper but likewise demands to be completely finished. Both have nice big noodles and a good mix of vegetables. There are quite a few other choices in ramens.
Noodle Bar is always a good option when I’m in the East Village and not in the mood to try a new restaurant. I tend to keep odd hours and avoid the lines, but if you’ve got enough people with you, it’s still fun since they’ll serve you alcohol while you wait. Plus, I have yet to find anything on the menu that’s not delicious.
Rating: 8.5 / 10 (extra half point for little pockets of heaven on earth)
Cost: it’s not cheap, but it won’t break the bank. Beer, sake and wine are quite reasonably priced as well.
Noise level: it’s always a party there
Chance of walking in: not good. Try to go at off-hours.
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11.28.09
Posted in Asian, Japanese, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 6 to 6.5, Upper West Side at 16:51 by Dominique
311 Amsterdam Ave. & 75th St., 212-877-9300
great for: decent sushi on the UWS, cocktails
My friends D & A love the guacamole with spicy tuna and wasabi chips here. Unfortunately, they didn’t tell me that was the key dish before I came, so I was left to my own devices trying to pick the best things on the menu. I might return to try that with them, but the rest of the food was just decent. This is an upscale, trendy, sort-of-Asian place; if that’s your thing, you’ll like it. Otherwise, it’s overpriced and not bad for the Upper West Side, but I wouldn’t make the trek from downtown just for this. (There was a party nearby.)
Our two duck spring rolls to start were pretty good. So was my sashimi Fusha – not as amazing as I’d like, but certainly serviceable. The Dynamite, Lady Lobster, California and Volcano rolls were all good as well. My favorite part of the meal was the drinks. I was tired after a long day of auditioning and indulged in an espresso martini – I am not drinking for a while to lose weight, but I figure caffeine counteracts alcohol (shut up, it’s true if I believe it) – and the Strawberry Fields cocktail is a nice tall glass of yummy. Literally.
We had slightly befuddled service but everything worked itself out in the end. It’s a good place to bring people before going out, and certainly if you want a decent meal in a fun atmosphere in a bit of a frat boy/stodgy area.
Rating: 6 / 10
Our cost: $150ish for 3 people eating, 4 people drinking
Noise level: fairly noisy
Chance of walking in: decent.
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09.17.09
Posted in Hell's Kitchen (Clinton), Japanese, Midtown West, New York City, New York City Reviews, rated 7 to 7.5, small plates at 17:17 by Dominique
251 W.55th St. & 8th Ave./Broadway, 2nd floor, 212-245-4555
Great for: skewers, kara age, sake
After a busy day I had an hour to grab dinner in the area. I picked this place out of my trusty Blackberry list, and also because I’d heard there’s a formidable woman in the kitchen. I like to support the girls, you know? Especially in the closed, mostly male Japanese chef world.
I got a bunch of skewers, of course. The scallions were the most flavorful part of the negima chicken thigh, while the Berkshire pork with ponzu sauce held its own against them. I wasn’t a fan of the rubbery fat but I still liked it. The big scallop was pretty good; there was a bit too much oil, so maybe the option with soy sauce instead of salt and pepper would have been better.
My favorite was the harami skirt steak skewer. Tender, flavorful and drenched in sauce, I would definitely order it again. I also loved the jidori kara age. They were big mini drumsticks that still felt light (as opposed to greasy). I wished for a dipping sauce, though.
The restaurant manages to provide nice service while being quite busy. You can watch them grill everything, and the giant yakitori and sake lists have some unique offerings. It’s daintily and prettily decorated. I found the non-skewer menu expensive, although it’s probably reasonable for the theatre district area, so I was the glad the sticks were pretty reasonably priced.
Rating: 7 / 10
My cost: $30
Noise level: not too bad for the number of people
Chance of walking in: not good.
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