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10 Comments:
If you have the expense account, Masa. Been there once, Tuna will never taste the same again.
nelson5757 at 10:27AM on 12/13/06
Gari on the west side is outstanding. I also love Kuruma Zushi, which is more traditional.
Cathy at 11:39AM on 12/13/06
Tenzan. Also best miso!
lizdeut at 12:44PM on 12/13/06
Haven't yet been to Masa - can't wait to go though.
Saturday night I'm going to Megu for the 1st time, has anyone ever been?
zoryana at 9:29PM on 12/13/06
This question has always baffled me. I've eaten sushi with regularity since my virgin tasting at Perry's in Adams Morgan, Wash. D.C., in 1987. Loved it then, love it now. Love to experiment, too. (E.g., I started to add sea urchin to my personal tastings because I think it's important food-wise to educate your palate, and I now see the benefits of its brinyness and creamy texture.) That said, how can one judge what's best? My general neighborhood sushi experiences are generally very good to excellent. (They lay the fish on the rice, and if the fish is fresh, it tastes great.) Near my work, the Japanese places tend to cater to a "3-rolls-special" kind of crowd, and I've had some less than fresh fish there - but these are the extreme exception, at least in NYC. I guess my point is, a place either has fresh fish or it doesn't, and most do, and they're the good places. The idea that I'm going to hoof it to, say, a Yama because their special sauce rocks is for the birds. Give me some fresh toro or mackarel, etc., and you can be the best for the day for all I care.
Sandro at 10:06AM on 12/14/06
Sushi Yasuda.
feltman at 10:44AM on 12/14/06
Sandro, I agree that great fresh fish can be found anywhere, however, simply fresh fish can't be compared to the fish I've tasted at Sushi of Gari or Tomoe. General sushi places that I eat at on a weekly basis are great, sure, but none have ever provided me the euphoria I've experienced at Gari - that sort of fish can make me sit back in my chair with eyes wide open in disbelief.
If the rumors about Masa are true, I can't wait to try it out. There has to be SOMETHING different about the fish there if people are willing to go back more than once and spend a ludicrous amount of money on sushi
zoryana at 11:29AM on 12/14/06
I disagree that most sushi places are generally even in terms of quality. That is to say, most places are good, edible, and will satisfy a sushi craving. But anyone who's had sushi prepared by master sushi chefs can tell the difference immediately. Sushi chefs who go to the fish market early every morning, personally pick out the freshest fish (which sometimes mean not getting every kind of fish, i.e. if the tuna isn't fresh that day, they won't serve it), serves only the finest pieces, regulates the temperature of the rice to each specific piece of sushi, etc. etc. There are only a handful of these places, but they offer a level of quality that is distinct from your run-of-the-mill sushi.
I've never been to Masa, and don't plan to go unless someone else is paying. But great, masterfully prepared sushi doesn't need to cost outrageous amounts of money. I even think that Gari, which is certainly one of the best places in the city, is a little bit pricey. I used to live in Los Angeles, where I find it much easier, and much cheaper, to get high-end sushi (the only thing I prefer about LA). There are a handful of places out here, though, that are magnificent.
zelig1 at 4:12PM on 12/14/06
Kiku on 5th Ave (Brooklyn) is in a salaried worker's price category, with fish that are hand picked daily from the Fulton Fish Market by the owner. Try $12 of fish at this restaurant and then do your best to justify the expense of Masa in blog format; that will definitely be worth reading.
BRKLN 2 NUROC at 7:54PM on 12/17/06
I fully second Sushi Yasuda. Sit at the sushi bar....unbelievable sushi and incredibly attentive (yet very discreet) service.
I eat sushi with my hands, and after I ate the first piece, before I could reach down to my lap to wipe off my fingers, a small folded, dampened cloth appeared next to my plate. They had folded a small napkin so the center stuck straight up and placed it on a small tray, allowing me to easily and thouroughly clean my fingertips after each piece.
Outstanding.
Gentleman Gourmand at 8:01PM on 12/17/06