Lunch at Hasaki

Last Friday my boss was kind enough to treat me for an “off campus” lunch at a restaurant of my choosing. Since we were both in the mood for some Asian cusine I figured I’d show her the best sushi the East Village has to offer at Hasaki.

Dining out during lunch is somewhat of a priviledge for me since not many people in the office head out for lunch. Sadly we eat at our desks or trek up to the 14th floor to properly dine in our only lunchroom. Needless to say I was excited by the opportunity to take a nice long lunch and get to know my new boss a little bit better.

Though I’d only been to Hasaki once before, I was quite impressed by what appeared to be a hole in the wall. Since Hasaki resides on the bottom floor of a building, you need to walk down a few steps in order to enter the restaurant, making it easy to miss if you’re not looking for it. But after being well attended to by the waitstaff and enjoying some creative maki rolls, I was certainly glad I had stumbled upon this neighborhood gem.

Though Hasaki doesn’t serve traditional $8-10 maki roll lunch specials, I knew my boss would appreciate the quality of the fish and the authentic Japanese decor. After mulling over a few sushi specials we decided to start with the Shrimp Tempura and Miso Soup.

Shrimp Tempura

 Not having eaten shrimp tempura in a while, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But the shrimp were quite tender and embodied by a perfectly crisp exterior. It is common for tempura to be soggy, but not at Hasaki. The shrimp were accompanied by an assortment of tempura vegetables including broccoli, eggplant, carrot, and potato which were all equally delicious. We each also enjoyed a very tasty  Miso Soup. The Miso Soup had an incredibly rich color and flavor, where typically a Miso Soup lacks color and balance. And almost as soon as we completed our appetizers, we were on to our main sushi courses.

Sushi Adajo – 5 pcs. & spicy tuna roll, yellowtail w/scallion

Sushi Forte - 7 pcs. & spicy tuna w/ avocado roll

As expected, the sushi was incredibly fresh and beautifully plated. I usually stick to maki rolls, but I decided to mix it up that day with an assortment of sushi including salmon, tuna, yellow tail, and eel. The eel and the tuna were probably my favorites of the plate. I would certainly recommend trying a variety of fish because you really can’t go wrong. Be sure to ask your server what he recommends ordering that day.

Where one might gloss over this neighborhood gem, I’m glad I came across it and was able to introduce it to my boss. I think it’s safe to say she enjoyed it.