Midtown Lunch: Sushi A-No-Go

In lieu of my appearance on Midtown Lunch yesterday afternoon, I felt it was appropriate to talk about well, lunch in Midtown. Though I’ve officially only been a member of the Midtown Lunch scene for about five weeks, I’m slowly making my rounds about midtown. But as  someone who proudly brings a homemade lunch to work at least three out of the five workdays, I find myself in need of some consultation on where to go in my new hood.

Usually I ask my personal NYC Midtown Guide Erica for all things midtown but I decided to switch it up and go with a suggestion from my friend Justin who LIVES in midtown. Figuring Justin’s lunch suggestion would be a sure thing, I headed over to Tenzan expecting a fine sushi lunch special. And upon entering the restaurant I remained quite confident and pleased with Justin’s selection that was until we ordered.

Though Tenzan appears to be a well-respected chain sushi restaurant around Manhattan, it is anything but. Don’t let the sleek decor deceive you. Sure, two rolls along with a soup or salad is a great deal for $8.95 but that’s what it costs at most places these days. Inspire me, please! After being hounded to order my dish I suddenly became skeptical of how well-respected this chain really was.

I started off my meal with a mixed greens salad that was just pathetic looking. The leaves were slightly wilted and tomato and cucumber were more of a garnish than a part of the salad. The sushi quickly followed and I mean real quickly.

We’d barely finished our salad and soup when our sushi had been served. And though the sushi might look alright at best, it certainly didn’t reflect its appearance. Sloppily made, the sushi rice was holding onto its blanket of seaweed for dear life with the spicy tuna bits not falling far behind. I was optimistic about the salmon avocado roll with its shiny bright complexion but after one bite, my mood had quickly changed. The salmon was suprisingly chewy, though the avocado was luckily a nice smooth addition.

So please, if you’re looking for a well priced sushi lunch, be sure to steer clear of Tenzan. Next time I’ll try Tanaka.

David Burke’s Foodie Wonderland

David Burke, you had me at hello. Foodbuzz you’ve always had me.

Hats off to the producers behind last night’s Foodbuzz Millionth Blog Post celebration at David Burke’s Townhouse. I was in complete awe and admiration of the truly stunning display of American fare chef David Burke, had prepared for us. And as a recent winner of the James Beard Lifetime Achievement award, I wouldn’t expect anything less!

I was told he was out to impress, and that he did with an overwhelming selection of fresh shellfish and sashimi, classic sliders, perfectly grilled meats, countless fried and steamed dumplings, and dozens of other tantilizing bites including a charming selection of petit desserts. The selection of food seemed endless! And I savored every last morsel from their special Lychee Martini Cocktail to their signature cheesecake lollipop. But the best part was, so did everyone else!

In my circle of family and friends I’m hard pressed to find someone who truly loves and appreciates food more than I do. Whether we’re talking sweet, savory, sour, meat, fish, vegetables, I love them all. I eat every meal as if it were my last and I have a good feeling that some of the other foodies in the room do the same. For once, I wasn’t alone!!! My eyes popped and my mouth watered along with dozens of other ravenous foodies eager to taste the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. And this time, God himself encouraged us to enjoy the fruits of our laborious food writing.

In about 90 minutes I consumed 2 sliders, numerous dumplings, lobster scramble, lobster bisque, tuna sashimi, grilled rib eye, grilled salmon, assorted sushi, scallop ceviche, tuna tar tar, foie gras, beef carpaccio, butterscotch panna cotta, a beignette, apple fritter, and finally David Burke’s trademark, cheesecake lollipop.

And after indulging in some phenomenal food, making some new foodie friends, and meeting the renowned David Burke in the flesh, the clock struck midnight and I was no longer a cheesecake lollipop on a pine tree pedestal. Though I’ll continue to savor – the wonderful flavors – of David Burke’s Town-house.

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.

BONDST; Still Hot or “So 8 Years Ago”?

Although the infamous BONDST has been on my radar for years, last week was the first time I had ever been. I’d heard so many things about BONDST that I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect. Friends had told me that the rock shrimp was to die for and how sheik the lounge was, and how I should keep my eye out for celebrities. And then I read a review on Menupages that had actually been titled “So 8 Years Ago”. Apparently not EVERYONE thought this place was up to snuff.

My head was spinning with expectations. The only thing I was concerned with was the food, so I took a peak at the menu, in advance, and was delighted with the variety of appetizers, main courses, and sushi that adorned the menu.

When I’d finally stepped in the infamous BONDST last Tuesday night, I was taken aback. The restaurant was filled with a mix trendy, carefree 20 and 30 somethings enjoying drinks or dinner which seemed to be their usual. As we made our way to the second floor, I was relieved to see that it was a bit quieter and less crowded. We were immediately seated and greeted by our waiter.

After giving the wine menu a once over we decided to order a bottle of sake and some Sapporos. We began our meal with some complimentary edamame and sipped our sake as we contemplated what to order. I was so content that I decided to let my date do the majority of the ordering, as he was quite familiar with the menu. We finally ordered the following dishes:

Edamame

Seaweed Salad, orange sesame dressing

Toro Tar Tar, japanese mustard, sansho pepper seasoning

Lobster Tempura, creamy japanese mustard dressing

Nasu Dengaku; grilled japanese eggplant, sweet miso sauce

Spicy Yellowtail Roll, red pepper sour miso & Spicy Caviar

Sesame Crusted Shrimp Roll, orange curry dressing & reduced balsamic vinegar

Me eating sushi : )

Shrimp Special

My favorite dishes of the night were the lobster tempura and the special shrimp appetizer. I’m not quite sure what was the shrimp appetizer but it was delicious. The shrimp were crisp on the outside, while perfectly tender on the inside and gently covered in a savory sauce. The lobster tempura was hands down the best tempura I have EVER eaten. The japanese mustard dressing and the mixed greens were a perfect pairing. The Nasu Dengaku, or grilled eggplant was also perfect crisp on the outside incredibly flavorful. The seared shrimp roll was also a very interesting dish. The texture of the tempura flakes with the red pepper sour miso gave a slight curry flavor which was surprising and delightful. Although BONDST is known for their sushi, I must admit that what we ordered tasted slightly fishy. The Toro Tar Tar, the Spicy Yellowtail Roll, and the Spicy Caviar were all a little off. I would recommend going for sushi later in the week, which is probably when a fresh shipment of fish arrives.

Though there were no celebrity sightings that night, the food and ambiance exceeded my expectations and made for a fantastic evening. I definitely think this place is still hot and especially for date night! The only thing I regret about my experience at BONDST was ordering a second bottle of sake.

BONDST

6 Bond St.

New York, Miami, Beverly Hills