Oshi!!!

Ever since I got my first Japanese client in 2005, I've slowly become a Japanese food connoisseur. Partly because the Japanese themselves think that New York Japanese cuisine ranks as highly as Tokyo, and partly due to all my trips to Japan.

The Japanese food voyage I've been on over the past 5 years has been bi-polar: both wonderful and eerie, both comforting and adventurous. It was always my desire to share these experiences with Sara. And one by one, we've been doing just that.

One of our first visits was to Japonais, a French-Japanese fusion restaurant in my neighborhood. Excellent, overpriced Japanese fare, accentuated by great sushi cuts. The star of their menu is their Kieseke options of delicately cooked small plates. The vibe of the restaurant is red, glowing and trendy. Not a particular fit for our tastes, but a fun visit.

Next up, was 15 EAST, a small restaurant off of Union Square which is very good with sushi & sashimi. With Sara, it was my third visit and unfortunately I've observed declining quality each time. What was really unique was the live sea urchin, sitting in its prickly black hollowed shell, which was served on a bed of ice and eaten with with a spoon. While Sara enjoyed the unique experience, she didn't love the texture. Overall, a very good sushi experience but not quite worth the price-tag.

An exclusive staple of the west village, EN Japanese Brasserie, is an excellent choice for a full rounded Japanese experience. One of my clients had pointed out that EN is a semi fast-food option in Japan, but in the West Village, this restaurant is all dressed up and ready to impress. The restaurant features an extensive selection of vegetarian options (almost unheard of within Japanese restaurants), and excellent full rounded choices. The sushi was soft and delicate, and the black cod and other small dishes completed the meal.