First Look: Sakae Sushi’s Conveyor Belt, Computers & The Full Menu

Have you figured out yet that I’m excited for conveyor belt sushi from Singapore?  It’s not open yet, but after much begging, they finally let me into Sakae Sushi (43rd btw. Lex+3rd) last night for a first look at the conveyor belt and computer system (which they’ve been putting together all week). 

The belt itself, which snakes in a u shape around the entire restaurant, carrying little small plates of sushi to every table, doesn’t actually go back into the kitchen- where all the food is prepared.  There are no sushi bars either.  All the food is made in the back, and brought out by servers to be placed on the conveyor belt.

For those “crazy” people, who don’t want to eat sushi off a conveyor belt, there is a mouse operated computer at each table you can use to order anything off of the menu.  This not only includes freshly made small plates of sushi, but larger things that don’t fit on the conveyor belt as well.

A look at the complete menu after the jump, plus an update on their “Friday” Grand Opening…

 

Looking at the whole menu, I’m realizing that it will take a lot of planning (and math) to get out of this place full for under $10 (and still be full).  But as far as I’m concerned, exceptions can be made to the Midtown Lunch $10 price limit in two instances.  1) All you can eat buffets, and 2) restaurants that use conveyor belts to deliver my food.  Here is a sample of some of the things that you may see roatating around the restaurant from 3 sample pages taken from the menu:

To see the full 30 page menu, click here.

If you’ve been to a Sakae Sushi overseas, you may end up disappointed by the first US location which lacks some of the uniqueness or “cool” factor of the locations in Asia.  That’s because they felt a more subdued location would be more appealing to the clientele of Midtown.  See what the losers have done?  Even when we get something cool, we get screwed. 

According to their publicist the restaurant is still on track to open on Friday, but not until dinner time, meaning (if it actually happens) Tuesday should be our first chance for an official “Midtown Lunch”.  See you there?

25 Comments

  • there is a conveyor belt sushi place in the whole foods on bowery

  • About 15 years ago there was a place in the village called Tsunami on West 3rd that had a conveyor belt.

  • I prefer fresh meals too. My today’s lunch in the office was looking so nice that I took a photograph for my web site http://hubschrauber.wordpress.com
    Recipe on request!

    Best regards

    Rosemarie, Germany

  • GENROKU!?!! The decor was Chock Full O’Nuts meets sushi – (you do remember Chock Full O’Nuts restaurant counters, right??) I used to take out of town friends to Genroku all the time – memories

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