Yushi Wants To Give You Free Conveyor Belt Sushi
You have to give Yushi (on 47th btw. Park+Lex) a bit of credit… although some of their stuff is a little overpriced, and healthy (read: flavorless) for my taste, I’m starting to like more and more of their offerings- and they are definitely trying. They are planning on opening their new conveyor belt to the public on Monday, but want to make sure they don’t suffer the same fate as Sakae Sushi (which was doomed by overpriced, mediocre food.) They asked me to come try the new conveyor belt food, and give them feedback- but I don’t like taking free stuff from Midtown Lunch places. I will, however, take free food for my readers! So I suggested they bring in some Midtown Lunchers for the free lunch “focus group”… and they agreed!
I know it’s late notice, but the free lunch is tomorrow (Thursday) at 12:30pm, and they’ve set aside 6 slots for Midtown Lunchers. Available for lunch tomorrow? Comment below why you should be chosen for the “focus group”, and you (and a guest) will be entered to win free conveyor belt lunch tomorrow at Yushi. (Make sure to include your email address so I can contact you. It will not get published on the site.) The three winners will be contacted by 10 a.m. on Thursday morning. Please only enter if you will be available at 12:30pm tomorrow.
Posted: 3:15 pm, March 18th, 2009 under Free Stuff, Yushi.
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77 Comments
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I am a huge sushi fan, and have been a fan of your website for a while now. Also, in that vendrtv video I dont think you looked like a dork at all! I too am short so if you took a picture of the group you would look like a giant next to me.
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As a regular denizen of middle east side (it’s a militarized zone) Japanese restaurant row, I am well suited to evaluate Yushi’s conveyer belt offerings.
I have also past experience eating off a sushi-veyer in Illinois of all places.
I have a cast of characters at my office who would be more than willing to accompany me.
I will also eat Uni if it is on offer (which I doubt).
Domo arigato Zach-san
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I know the answer to the will a plane on a sushi conveyor belt be able to take off…
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I am a bottomless pit of sushi eating. I will do you and your site proud.
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Zach, old buddy, old pal
Based on the firm I work at, my previous experiences at the original NY conveyor belt sushi place (Genroku, 35th & 5th) and my firm grasp of the English language I feel I am qualified to fill any openings you may have.
I am also interested in the lunch.
Being a chivalrous sort I will also give my guest slot to Mamacita but she has to promise to keep her hands to herself
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I work at 51st and Lex, so I’ll be a frequent customer.
I’m desperate for better Japanese food since Cafe Zest has started going downhill (and Dainobu isn’t better).
If anyone starts shilling for the place, I’ll think of creative modifications of the word shill to accuse them thereof.
I’m a discerning fan of sushi.
I have a blogger friend in Japan who’s a big fan of kaiten sushi, and she’d be curious to know what it’s like in the US.
I took two lessons of Pimsleur Japanese I.
I’m a photographer, and can take great food-porn photos.
I’m cute.
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sadly, i will admit that although I am a foodie, I eat yushi about 4 days a week for lunch. I try to stay healthy during the week so I can indulge on the weekends, thus, eating yushi for lunch. I would love to be considered for the free lunch, as i’ve spent close to my life savings on lunch at this joint…..
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Pick me because I’m jobless, can’t afford sushi, even flavorless sushi and I’m one of your #1 commenters. Plus I’ve taken my fair share of insults on this site (read: Steve and that term he used for me) so I totally deserve some free food!!!
Did I mention I’m poor and jobless?
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Sushi/Sashimi…………it’s all a bloody con!
7 years to learn to chop fish?
Bollocks
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Having eaten 45 pieces of sushi and 2 rolls in one sitting (53 pieces and 2 rolls while pocketing about 20 pieces worht of rice on another sitting), I think my palate is properly atuned to evaluate sushi and offer constructive criticism to the owners of Yushi. Not only do I have Sushi Twist right under my building, but I am 4 blocks away from Koreatown, where I regularly purchase sushi grade fish by the pound. Moreover, I used to go to the conveyor belt sushi place on 3rd ave and 27th at least once a week, and have tried everything they’ve offered, at least once. Even the Nano, which is the most hideous tasting fermented bean poop I’ve ever been confronted with. I promise that I will attempt to ingest anything put in front of me, and will do my best not to regurgitate or otherwise have a “roman incident.”
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Natto, Goats – it’s Natto. I like it. Almost as much as UNI
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Humans should not be relegated to eating off conveyor belts.
That’s just a bit Orwellian for my taste.
But you New Yawkers are a different breed altogether, aren’t you?
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oh man, that place is far away from me. poo.
otherwise i would say that sushi is a nice break from all the peanut butter and jelly that i eat for lunch three/four days a week.
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Did I mention I’ll also offer to write this up for you?? eh? Eh? Free labor??
Shameful, I know…. -
Zach,
This is my first time posting a comment so you know sushi cuts to the core of me. I don’t even need to bring a friend, because frankly I don’t think I have any. I am willing to try this out solo. I have been to Sushi Yasuda which is hands down the best sushi in NYC and I think I can be a fair and educated judge for this current sushi craze with a “conveyor belt”. Please make my dreams come true and I’ll bring you an artichoke slice from the pizza parlor of the same name. -
<….slips Mama 50 quid.
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Being the full-blooded Korean I am, I feel it is only fair to get some payback from the Japanese for their wartime atrocities towards my country – hence I put myself forward as a candidate for your ML sushi lunch taste test. What better way to avenge my ancestors than filling my belly with their enemies’ raw fish? (For any who could not discern, the aforementioned comments were all in jest.)
I cannot think of any better way to spend my lunch hour than with a bunch of similarly-minded sushi fans and one of my favorite bloggers, Zach! And even if you don’t pick me, I’ll still read your blog. No hard feelings.
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Jason– totally agree with Cafe Zest going downhill! I heard they have a new name now, if how the place has been for the past couple of weeks is a reflection of the new management, I am very very upset… That was my spot!
This place is basically in my building and I have yet to try it, I’d love to have an excuse to…
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ME ME ME ME!
I enjoy reading about food. I also eat it quite a bit.
ME ME ME ME!
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I’ve never had sushi (well only veggie sushi), I think this would be a good first time!
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You should choose me because I’m 6′4″…
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Are you kidding me?! You must pick me and I’ll tell you why. For 3 years I was subjected to working in 3 World Financial in the Financial District. The place is on the wrong side of the west side highway which means for most of the year I was forced against my will to eat lunch in the tourist trap of a building. Since all the rich bankers work there, 10$ was considered the norm for lunch there. Once again, I was subjected to eating the blandest burrito EVER from Blockheads. Just thinking about it gets me angry. Their lunch specials for 9 dollars. Next, I went on a COSI diet for about two months because I didn’t know better lunch options existed. Since I discovered Midtown Lunch my inner fatty and cheap guy has come alive. After I got sick of COSI, I was SUBJECTED once again to try Yushi for about a month. That’s right a straight month of Yushi, trying everything from Udon, lunch specials, rolls, and averaging a cool 10$ Sometimes I even splurged and spent up to 15 dollars getting their high-end stuff. I even have the Yushi card to prove it. If there’s anyone who deserve some sort of pay back from Yushi, it should be me! Thanks for listening. Midtown Rules!
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This is not an eating contest, it is a tasting contest. It is to find quality over quantity. It is also a time for someone who can articulate what they eat to the millions of MidtownLunch fans. What better person to do this then someone who most resembles Zach? I can say that I am truly the one to handle this task. I am a big guy who went to school in New Orleans, I live and work in Midtown, and have sent numerous people to this blog to find the very best places in midtown for lunch. I am also willing to enter as a single to allow a fellow ML’er to join in on the tasting.
What a great experience for lunch before getting entangled into watching basketball the rest of the day. Thanks Zach!
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Conveyor belts helped me overcome my cautious attitute towards sushi. Everything coming down the line looked so good, I just kept taking and have loved sushi ever since.
Been reading ML for years and always reference it in convos, gchats, emails, telepathy. Twitter too. This website has changed my lunch life (maybe if I meet another attractive Midtown Lunch’er over Yushi it will also change my love life).
Oh yeah, and I work down the block.
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Pick me because I like sushi and eat a lottttt, so I could really take advantage of this. Mamacita will vouch for the amount of food I can put away, like on the night of three dinners.
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Also I went to Legends for the sake of ML Happy Hour. That seriously sucked.
Also I’m trying to get out of this performance I’m doing and could use a good case of mercury poisoning, what better way than eating tons of free sushi?
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Because starting in a week, I’m going to be staffed on a project for the next 3 months, where it’s unlikely I’ll be seeing the light of day, let alone taking the time to eat lunch at a restaurant. Copious amounts of conveyor belt sushi would be the greatest possible send-off before a hiatus from interesting lunches.
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Zach,
I in no way deserve free sushi. Please pick me. My co-worker and I read your blog constantly to decide where we should eat lunch everyday. Sushi sounds like it would be a nice treat for tomorrow and so if you pick me that would be great.
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When I was in highschool, I used to assemble handtrucks for a distribution company. Later I would graduate to boxing sorters, pickers and various conveyor equipment for shipping. I even designed the company’s short-lived mascot: “Rolly the Conveyor Roller”.
While many here bring years/pounds of eating experience, I think I could add much needed engineering perspective to this moving fish bonanza. After all, without conveyors, this would just be high priced healthy sushi sitting still.
Also I work at 47th and Lex…
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Pick me, I’m dumb as an ox and twice as ugly.
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I should be a candidate because:
1) I’ve only posted one review on the site (Certe’s cajun catfish) and you seemed to agree with it pretty solidly in your official review.
2) I’m willing to miss the first NCAA tourney games for it, so I must be excited.
3) I work down the street (45th and 5th) so potential for regular customer.
Adequate food reviewer + excitement + proximity = prime candidate!
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@ Wayne=–my bad–NATTO! YUCK!!!!! But for the sake of ML, I will inhale it by the pound if need be, should I be blessed enough to be chosen!
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I work 2 blocks away, I get about 5 minutes to grab lunch everyday, which gives me a 3-4 block radius max and leaves most of the midtownlunch offerings painfully out of reach. This would give me an excuse to have a civilized sit-down lunch and find out if yushi is worth patronizing beyond their soups (which I do enjoy from time to time). I live vicariousy through midtown lunch, allow me to live it for real if only for one day!
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That’s a very nice offer, Zach.
I’m afraid I can’t accept unless I know with 100% certainty that a nameless non-fair haired food blogger will be in attendance.
But thanks for asking, appreciated.
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To Whom it May Zach-
I should be chosen for this because I have never experienced conveyor belt sushi before (alas, Sakae Sushi was closed by the time I made it over). I also have similar aforementioned pros by working close to the joint (42nd and Madison) and eating sushi nearly every day (thank you for spreading the good word of the 41st trifecta). I’ll also offer enthusiam, a write-up and this picture of Jackie Chan: http://www.jackiechankids.com/images_2/Sun_sushi_1.jpg.In a shameless ploy, I’ll also offer myself up to the dog-eat-dog profiled midtown luncher pool.
Sush-please,
Janelle -
This recession has hit me pretty hard. While I was only a temp to begin with, I soon got a pay cut once the economy tanked. Add to that the fact that I recently started getting NYC taxes withheld from the my paycheck along with a really crappy weekly deduction for health insurance that is more for show than anything else. I never get to eat lunch out anymore, I bring it every day except for once a week when I meet my friend and enjoy a meal that someone else made. This day happens to be Thursdays. So it would be great if we (or at least I haha) could enjoy sushi that was not only prepared by someone else but conveyed via conveyor belt. It would make my day. Hell, I don’t care if the sushi is flavorless or too healthy, I’ll give it an honest chance and truly enjoy every minute of it. I (lots of other people are emphasizing this so I will too) also work 2 blocks away. Free and convenient are my 2 middle names.
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As a profiled Midtown luncher (not as Pickled Herring though) with a soft spot for sushi and other japanese delicacies, I think I can give a pretty fair review. Here is a recent one I did on menupages for example. I am Anon in Midtown: http://www.menupages.com/restaurantdetails?restaurantid=4790
and so the mystery of who is Pickled Herring continues…..
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I see, I have some serious competition out here. I’m pulling out the big guns! (calm down wayne, not those)
I should be chosen because I love sushi and can give my honest and learned appraisal. I recently had some of the best sushi in Brooklyn (Blue Ribbon) and can actually help these Yushi guys out.
Second, later in the afternoon tomorrow I need to go with the wife of my dearly departed friend in search of a memorial space. Which will be an extreme bummer. So a free sushi lunch would be nice to cheer me up.
Lastly, I may be hungover tomorrow and something about fresh sushi and wasabi really help me get over “la cruda.” I have no idea why, maybe it’s like spicy pozole is good for hangovers? Plus, IT’S CONVEYER BELT SUSHI, how freaking cool is that!!!!!
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I’d like to be selected for 2 reasons.
1. I’m not an asshole
2. I don’t keep writing -
As an early-adopter, sushi eater, I have almost 15 years of experience with sushi of all levels from around the country.
And I have made my own sushi for about 10 years. I mean… come on… I make it at my desk at work.
I also like trying a lot of variety, and have a very critical palate. I do have very little experience with conveyor belt sushi though (read:none), so it will be a new, interesting experience to evaluate.
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A lot of people have given some great reasons for being chosen to participate above. I can offer a lot of the same, from my love of sushi to my being an early in Mid-Town Lunch’s career Tuesday Profile. I can mention my emailed updates of Waffle Carts, treat trucks and Cosi Coupons…
Instead, I will appeal to your pity. I have been on Weight Watchers since November 30th 2008. I have lost 25 pounds, so far, and I am shooting for another 25-35 by December. While I was once able to sample all of the delectable treats profiled, sadly, I cannot anymore. I haven’t even had one of the awesome looking mid-town lunch challenge sandwiches. Yes, I can still get a salad from the Healthy and Halal cart… but a cheese steak from El Rey Del Sabor? Alas!!!!
Sushi is one of the foods we dieters can eat. We can eat a lot of it, too. Plus, once per week you get 35 “points” to spend on a splurge or extras. I offer to bring those 35 points+. I’ll eat veggies for dinner and egg whites for breakfast to Maximize my Eating Potential.
Let me spend my 35 points with you.
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1) Although I will be in Queens tomorrow (I work in both Midtown and Queens) and I’m supposed to be at a meeting at 12:15, if I am chosen, I will make up an excuse to skip my meeting and head back to the City pronto.
2) Free food is very important to me. Since discovering your site several months ago, I’ve collected free food from Crumb, Godiva, and Chipotle (multiple times).
3) I promise to eat anything that they serve at Yushi if asked (even if they serve “Beantown” sandwiches). Please don’t invite one of those losers who only eats tuna, salmon, and yellowtail.
4) If chosen, I will submit myself to public ridicule by filling out one of those Midtown Luncher profiles.
5) If chosen, I will attempt to convince my buddy from Japan to come with me. (The first and last time I went to a sushi place with him, he asked the waitress what fish they had just put in front of him. She said tuna. He was like, “Oh.” As in, the tuna looked so awful to him that he couldn’t quite believe it was tuna. The next day he told me, “I’m kind of glad I’m still here.”) I’m also willing to go solo in case you want to spread the wealth.
6) No one said this was as an all-you-can-eat lunch, so I don’t know why people keep talking about how much they can eat. But in case you do care: I’m not the world’s biggest eater, but after one large sushi dinner, a waitress couldn’t help but say to my wife and me (in a non-humorous way), “Wow. I can’t believe you finished all that.”
7) I also grew up in South Florida and used to live in California. Viva el Pollo Tropical! Viva la Baja Fresh! I’ve also been to Japan twice, primarily as a food-tourist.
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Ok ok,I’ll do it.
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Sumitomo Life – Need I say more? I am VP for sales and marketing and regularly take my clients and prospects to the best sushi places in town; that have been shown to me by the Japanese rotational staff.
Oh, and I can write well, too.
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I deserve free sushi because I’ve got a really bad head cold and need some wasabi, stat. Also though I am a veg, I eat fish, because fish are just vegetables with eyes. screw you PETA, I don’t buy your ’sea kittens’ thing.
Actually I vote you pick wayne and jessica. Jessica’s reasoning is great. And wayne is going to get his old doc martens and braces out for a photoshoot with the sushi, so…
Also Mamacita! You’re jobless? Damn, girl! My condolences! Let me know when that Brooklyn Stoop Happy Hour is happening! I’ll bring the box wine!
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I should be part of the focus group because I know sushi, I’ve known good sushi and bad sushi. I am a great conversationist and avid food critic, so I’m capable of giving constructive feedback.
And I’m cute, and funny.
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Sarah….no invite?
I married an American and moved her here therefore civiliazing her and robbing the IRS of a Harvard law grads tax.
For that alone it should be me, although, Sarah……….sniff….it’s over.
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you can come to the stoop party too, rudy, but you have to bring decent fish and chips. better?
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You should pick me because
1) 6 2″ 255. I’ll get full value.
2) I can bring a nice camera
3) I’ve dined on conveyor belt sushi in Tokyo.
4) I’ll eat natto on a dare
5) I’ve dined on sushi on Long Island. So I KNOW both good and bad sushi
6) I’ve eaten sushi that was still kicking in Kyoto.
7) Did I mention full value?
8) I’ll bring you a Walgreens sandwich as a bribe.
9) This is at least one or two more reasons than anybody else. -
When you profiled me a couple weeks ago, I clearly mentioned my love for Japanese food… don’t deny me the privilege Zach…
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Ok.. I need to get at least two more than anyone else…
10) I’ll bring an unemployed friend
11) I’ll drop my little camera on the conveyor belt in video mode to check out the kitchen james bond style, then post the video on youtube with a sound track of the peanut butter jelly song and get 50,000 hits in 12 minutes. -
I just started working in midtown so I think the experience of a good filling meal will benefit my on the job performance. Often times after a meager slice of pizza or a sandwich I am left wanting more, but I cant afford to spend to much… When I found out about your site only a week ago I was so happy. I’ve already been to Certe, Schnipper, Lazzara, and the 38th St. Restaurant & Bakery. Even if I dont win the free lunch, your website has been extremely convenient and helpful
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I am fat and cheap. I will also bring a hot Asian chick with me to distract from my gluttony.
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I’ve taken long lunches and traveled to the far reaches of Midtown for lunch with you; this is around the corner. and B) if you don’t, I won’t put up any Midtown content next week while holding up the internets alone. and 3) I’ll bring Mamacita (brownie doesn’t get to take lunch until friday when she gets on a plane and abandons me!)
oh, and because you know I’m awesome and a good lunch mate and will say “this is sh*t”
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Not entering because I just can’t compete. I just want to offer a 2nd nom for Janelle and Jessica. No I don’t know them — I just thought their entries really stood out above the rest.
It’s also cool because they’re not playing the no-holds-barred / bribery / extortion / sob-story / blackmail card. That still leaves you three seats to shield yourself from the wrath of those who are. :)
Good luck sorting through this mess.
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ZACH- pick me! I was exiled from my Midtown office and am now working from home. My daily companions are my 2 cats, and they’re starting to look tasty…. So I really need to get out and eat a decent meal with human diners. Plus, I will certainly write up a detailed assessment of the experience at no charge.
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Who cares about this stupid meal? We all know it doesn’t matter who gets chosen. Do you really think it’s going to change anything around here; make one single person smarter or happier or nicer? The only person it does matter to is the one who gets picked. The same pathetic charade happens every year, and everyone makes the same pathetic promises. So pick me, because I don’t even want to eat sushi.
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Sarah and Rudy: Summer Brooklyn stoop party. I’ll even show you, Rudy, what real Brooklyn pizza should taste like ;-)
Blondie will bring dessert! -
I am a Japanese American. I have been to Japan and eaten real kaitenzushi, aka conveyor belt sushi, many times at various places. If chosen, I can compare Yushi to the true Japanese conveyor belt sushi experience. If it’s good, I will make sure to bring back friends and blog about Yushi.
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Having just moved back into the Midtown fold after a brief Brooklyn hiatus, and some other sushi conveyor experience, I’m a natural choice. And I didn’t get to go to SXSW this year; I need something to fill the void where the Kreuz Market should be.
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@Nick: Nice Election reference.
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So yeah, I actually went to sleep and came back to this having thought out legitimate reasons for why you should pick me.
1) I’m a student, I’m poor, I have to do bento’s so I can *occasionally* do a nice midtownlunch
2) I don’t really get to do the whole midtownlunch thing as much as I would like, since time doesn’t permit when you have class starting at 1 pm 75 blocks away
3) Did I mention I’m really cheap? I run to work so I can save the metrocard fee… -
I would also like to ad that my wife last night mentioned, “It has been a long time since we had really good sushi” We just moved not long ago and we also found out our favorite place in Westchester was closed. This would allow me to get a ton of surprise good husband points for a surprise lunch
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I just want to add that one of my cats is now napping in a casserole dish that I put out. Pick me and STOP THE INSANITY!!! (I’ll volunteer to take Mamacita along if selected; drinks are on me.)
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I love sushi. My boss loves sushi. Taking my boss to sushi would give me an edge. More-so than having to come in an hour and half early this morning to let in the electricians that had to do work in our server closet. *grumble grumble snore pass out*
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stevenp, you sushi-guest poser – don’t you be stealing my bribe idea
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Anyone win yet?
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wayne, old pal, I’m actually a sushi-guest-bandwagoneer. Except that I threw drinks into the offer!
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Thanks for entering everybody! The responses were all pretty valid, so I just drew the winners randomly. They’ve been emailed (although it was a bcc email, so if your email filters those out, be sure to check your junk mail.)
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I don’t know any of the following, but I’d like to nominate Janelle, Jessica, Rudee McBagel or wayne (let them fist fight to figure out who goes), mamacita and blondie based on their eloquent reasoning on this thread, contributions to Midtown Lunch or just the fact their comments in the past have made me laugh loud at work.
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So who won? Thanks of my wonderful reading comprehension skills, I neglected to include my email address, stupidly assuming that the winners were going to be posted on the site. Doh!
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Dan: “Thanks of my wonderful reading comprehension skills…”??? Better add your wonderful writing skills to that list! ;^)
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I am deeply disappointed that McBeagle was not selected. I had visions of his long greasy hair becoming entangled in the conveyor belt.
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Well, I am not going to lie to you all. It was AMAZING!!!! I, and my guest, ate like Gluttons. First, I am a liberated pro-women, feminist/equalist guy… But the Staff— GOOD GOD!!! Food for the eyes, my friends, food for the eyes. The food on the conveyor was excellent—- I especially enjoyed the California Maki rolls, which were real crab, not that fake garbage. The Seared Tuna was melt in your mouth, the regular tuna excellent. The shrimp had little dabs of horse raddish on them…. Mmmmm. Also, they let us have anything from the hot menu, but it was a bit slow coming out so we only had the dumplings. Then, the dumpling machine broke, but the Pork Dumplings we had before that happened were so good. I love eating food in a Tapa’s style like that. Not as good as Dim Sum but fun. There was an organic chicken thingee served sushi style that I liked and another sate chicken type roll but that only came ’round once, at the beginning. Ohh, I should mention that the sea weed salad was BLECHH. My lunch companion got a hot green tea which was served in a diffuser pot. Looked great. All in all, we probably ate $80.00 worth of food and loved each bite. Except for the sea weed salad. They had 2 types of deserts too, a chocolate mouse and a white panacotta but I didn’t try those. Zach, thanks so much! Made my week.
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Oh, I took a pic or 2, I will send to Zach. And I got to meet Rosie, also, which was way cool!
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I second the California Maki rolls
which were really more like spicy crab rolls with chives and cucumber.I was incognito ;-) But wayne met me, he only once touched my tuna (LOL)
I think I should be chosen for this “focus group” because when I was in college I used to do temp work during the summer, and I worked in my fair share of factories. Factories use conveyor belts to make your job even more simple, repetitive and mind-numbing than it already inherently is. I think it’s time that a conveyor belt contributed some variety and excitement to my life.