USHIWAKAMARU - Japanese Restaurant

We stumbled on this Japanese restaurant after we watched an off-Broadway play on Spring Street and decided that we could no longer wait to get home and eat.  This part of SoHo is almost a mecca of restaurants to choose from.  We headed first to our favorite sushi place.  Although it was Thursday, that was jammed with people waiting. We considered another sushi place but made the wrong turn so we opted to try other options only to find out the wait would be 2 hours inspite the fact that it was already 9:30PM. Thus, as we were heading for the next block, we stumbled on this place - Ushiwakamaru which was about 3 steps down from the street level.

We took a quick peek and immediately fell in love with its clean decor and a room full of people; yet enough to accommodate two more famished walk-ins like us.

I opted for the set menu because it had the kinds of seafood I like as I compared it with the ala-carte pieces of sushi.  I chose the NAGIRI because of its description.  I had requested to have the seaweed salad in place of the regular salad that came with the order.  Paying a little extra for it, to replace the regular salad the dinner came with.  It was still less expensive than ordering it on the side.

Above, I watched the sushi being prepared.  On the left is the first part of the Nagiri I ordered.  It came with Torro and Ama-Ebi.  There was also seared tuna, salmon and fish that lay over some finely minced greens

On the right are the pieces included when you order the Nagiri.  Minced torro with minced scallions, uni, caviar, egg and eel.



Not to be missed:  Assorted seaweed salad with citrus dressing that you pour over.



Ushiwakamaru Restaurant

http://www.yelp.com/biz/ushiwakamaru-new-york#hrid:wlPTgHMDLdBdWip1SqBMDg

http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=seGbuDQHjihE7TE29cQYWw

USHIWAKAMURA

136 W Houston St
(between Mac Dougal St & Sullivan St)
New York, NY 10012
Neighborhood: Greenwich Village

(212) 228-4181

Less Shoes, More Sashimi

Less Shoes, More Sashimi
It's about time gourmet restaurants come in to this area on 8th Street just west of Fifth Avenue.
I can't wait to try them!

SUSHI-YASUDA - Known for excellent quality sushi

One has to know what to order to save a bit at this place.  Sushi Yasuda is always a full house.  It's hard to get a table even for lunch.  One must plan to make a reservation otherwise, try a late lunch after 1:30pm or an early dinner should you want to just pop in without a reservation.

This restaurant has a very discreet sign.  The front is lime green with a portion of the window where you can look in to view the inside.  However, the sign is so small, you would have to really look for it.  The unobscure sign is a pencilled fish shape and tiny words next to it - sushi yasuda.

This evening, I decided to have the steamed monk fish liver as my first course. Sometimes the fishmonger at the Green Market at Dag Hammarskjold Park on 47th Street carry monk fish liver.  I've steamed them at home myself.  They're quite good.  You can serve them cold or at room temperature and dip them in yuzu-soy sauce combination.

It was perfect!  So simple and yet fresh.

My main course was the Chirashi sushi which is the best deal in this restaurant.  Not only that, he uses a different type of sushi rice and seasoning.  He has the best chirashi sushi I've ever tasted.  It's as fresh as you can get like being in Tsukiji Market in Japan where you can find the freshest seafood.

I opted for a little bit more:

And I ordered the giant clam sashimi on the left

And the crispy eel spine.

This is a popular and highly regarded Japanese restaurant in the heart of New York City.  It is one of my favorite restaurants. Located between 2nd and 3rd Avenues and 43rd street.
http://sushiyasuda.com/japan.html