since i sprained my ankle in china, my mom and i had to cancel our new mexican mother's day golf holiday, and instead, she made an impromptu trip to NYC. it was a busy nine days... you see, my mom is a total MOM: she's very smothering and caring, and she's more concerned for your welfare than her own. in many rights, it's amazing. but in a small new york apartment, it can get a little cramped with someone like my mom.
my favorite restaurant in manhattan is sushi yasuda, so i always take her there for the magical experience. but after we had dinner there tuesday, i found myself looking for a lunch meal later that week. for lunch we usually go to sasabune on the UES or shimizu in hell's kitchen, but i thought this time we'd switch it up. i've been meaning to try kuruma zushi for some time, but had never had the occasion (as a yasuda devotee, i inevitably ended up there). finally, i found one.
we sat at the sushi bar for friday lunch. it's a small venue with 2 sushi chefs and an apprentice behind the bar. i imagine the chef we dealt with was chef uezu, although no introductions were made. we did an omakase - my mom started with sashimi; i went full boar beginning with sushi.
i can't tell you everything we ate, but i can tell you for sure: sushi yasuda is overall better. first, chef uezu may cut the fish (sometimes), but he has an apprentice who forms the rice. second, the slices of fish may be larger than yasuda, but the price is double (at least). third, the size of the fish didn't seem balanced to the amount of rice. fourth, the rice was undercooked. fifth, some of the fish was too cold. and FINALLY, there are many more options at yasuda. in terms of quality, there were only a few pieces that were of the same level or perhaps a tad better than yasuda; however, the kinmedai at kuruma was definitely noticeably better.
our lunch for two came to $482 (!!!) with tax & tip. no alcohol. and i didn't think we ate that much. we ate as much, if not more, at yasuda a few nights before, and total for two was $320 with tax & tip (also no alcohol).
i never thought i'd call sushi yasuda a bargain, but it's all relative.
winner, hands-down, sushi yasuda.
my favorite restaurant in manhattan is sushi yasuda, so i always take her there for the magical experience. but after we had dinner there tuesday, i found myself looking for a lunch meal later that week. for lunch we usually go to sasabune on the UES or shimizu in hell's kitchen, but i thought this time we'd switch it up. i've been meaning to try kuruma zushi for some time, but had never had the occasion (as a yasuda devotee, i inevitably ended up there). finally, i found one.
we sat at the sushi bar for friday lunch. it's a small venue with 2 sushi chefs and an apprentice behind the bar. i imagine the chef we dealt with was chef uezu, although no introductions were made. we did an omakase - my mom started with sashimi; i went full boar beginning with sushi.
i can't tell you everything we ate, but i can tell you for sure: sushi yasuda is overall better. first, chef uezu may cut the fish (sometimes), but he has an apprentice who forms the rice. second, the slices of fish may be larger than yasuda, but the price is double (at least). third, the size of the fish didn't seem balanced to the amount of rice. fourth, the rice was undercooked. fifth, some of the fish was too cold. and FINALLY, there are many more options at yasuda. in terms of quality, there were only a few pieces that were of the same level or perhaps a tad better than yasuda; however, the kinmedai at kuruma was definitely noticeably better.
our lunch for two came to $482 (!!!) with tax & tip. no alcohol. and i didn't think we ate that much. we ate as much, if not more, at yasuda a few nights before, and total for two was $320 with tax & tip (also no alcohol).
i never thought i'd call sushi yasuda a bargain, but it's all relative.
winner, hands-down, sushi yasuda.
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