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M. Hamm Hates on Noodletown's Roast Pork
i find a good beef chow fun hard to find in manhattan. congee village prepares a good version as does ho yip by world trade center, but most places don't provide enough savory stock and sauce to properly season the noodles. indeed, i've always considered the frequently poor quality of chow fun in nyc as an indictment of the poorer quality of cantonese food here in comparison to the rest of the nation (sf, la, boston).
Best New York Steak From Non-Steakhouses?
basta pasta, the italian-japanese restaurant on 17th b/w 5th & 6th ave, has a consistently excellent rib eye. full of flavor for around $28 it usually comes with roasted garlic.
Big Apple BBQ Thoughts?
- ed mitchell's was good but big bob gibson's was even better. whole hog was a much lighter flavor (though pleasantly tangy) than bbg's robust shoulder.
- salt lick was nothing special--i've had it two years in a row and it's not worth the wait. according to others, it's much better at their restaurant in TX. i'd recommend skipping the line and getting moist brisket at hill country another day.
- cecil's ribs from LA were impressive though--very tasty (a bit overseasoned) but excellent along with the sausage and the tangy salad side.
- city grocery's hush puppies were great. freshly fried and tasty--the only downside was that there was very little crawfish in the batter.
- mike mill's 17th st/Memphis Championship BBQ ribs were amazing as usual. he's called the "Legend" for a reason!
- desserts: blue smoke's pbj cupcake was even more decadent than it sounded (in a good way) while the brownie was nothing special. wildwood's bannana pudding was enjoyable and the smores was okay.
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I've eaten at most of these places and would distinguish between really elite class and price ($100-300): Yasuda, 15 East, Kuruma, Masa, Gari, Shimizu, and Sushi Seki; from the kind of mid-level ($50-85): Ushi, Morimoto, Azabu, Blue Ribbon. (I've never been to Hatsuhana but that's where Yasuda came from originally and is I believed considered the first place in NYC to serve sushi. I've never ponied up for Masa but maybe later this year.)
Generally, you get what you pay for--the more expensive places typically have fresher and more exotic fish, the chef is more experienced and skillful, etc. Azabu is probably the best value for the mid-level while I prefer 15 East overall because of its (relative) value and the very high level of enjoyment due to the chef and staff. Some folks think the service is stuffy, but that seems to be confined to the back room.
For any of the top places like 15 East, Yasuda, Gari, Shimizu, etc, it's a significantly better experience sitting at the counter--literally, the difference between 2 star and 4 star service. Do you want to learn about where exactly in the tuna your toro came from? Do you want to trade jokes with the sushi chef all night? Those are the kind of experiences you get at the counter--not to mention always the first and best choice of fish. (Make sure to sit to the right closest to the head chef).
Finally, the very best fish at places like 15 East can come close to the best stuff in Tokyo, including places like Mizutani (3 star Michelin, widely considered top 2 in Tokyo, $350/pp).