Kyo ya.... ya ya ya!!

May 28, 2010: We visited Kyo ya, one of the most mysterious, hidden Japanese treasures in New York City. I first visited this place with my Japanese clients a few years back. Apparently, this restaurant came to fame through inner circles of Japanese New Yorkers, in a hush-hush-pass-it-along type of movement. Certainly "oishi" (japanese for yummy) all across the board.

We started with a pressed salmon sushi appetizer, followed by a corn potage soup (with brussel sprouts), which led us to a panko-breaded sea scallop sitting on top of nori seaweed paste (incredible!), a piece of delicious flaky miso black cod and ended with an entree of magret duck, thinly sliced sitting on top of mache greens. The flavors were classic Japanese - not much 'preparation', but just simple flavorful natural elements. For dessert we had a vanilla custard complemented with caramel syrup, which reminded Sara of french creme caramel. The unique menu choices and presentation, along with the authentic interior design added an element of warmth and comfort. We certainly add Kyo ya to our list of the best Japanese restaurants in New York.

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.

Esca- One Year!

For 12 months, our footsteps have moved closely in sync with flavorful bites as our lives dance together. Always together, and always hungry..... of course.

It was fitting that exactly a year after we met at a food tasting, after a year of amazing food adventures (and other adventures too), after a year of romantic, sense-seizing moments... we celebrated the anniversary of our first meeting at my favorite restaurant in NYC... Esca.

I've been filling Sara's ears with tales of this place for a year... the restaurant's quaint airy feeling brings you deep into Southern Italy. Not only does it have the best wine selection in the city, this place has some of the best seafood & pasta dishes imaginable.

The meal started with an outstanding crudo tasting. Two flights of three tastes each. The crudo is basically sashimi, Italian style. Wonderful cuts of fish, marinated in lemon juice, a touch of olive oil... seasoned with sea salt... in other words, absolute perfection. The pasta dish we shared was linguine with clams and pancetta, and it may have been the best pasta dish either of has ever tried. The waiter warned us that it may be "too briny" or salty due to the ocean elements involved in the dish, which made us even more excited. The mixture of dried chili with al dente linguine left us feeling like we were overlooking the Mediterranean ocean. We complimented the meal with a beautiful bottle of Elena Walsh and finished it off with run raisin fritters filled with orange zabaglione, cappuccinos and a strong vintage grappa.

While Sara was in the restroom before leaving, I quickly snagged the chef's cookbook and had him sign it for her - a little impromptu surprise waiting for her to top off our evening. Our three hour trip to Southern Italy during this special evening filled our eyes with wonder, our hearts with delight, our stomachs with satisfaction and our dreams of many many more exciting food adventures to follow in the future.