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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?
Posted: January 17th, 2008 under 43rd btw. Lex+3rd, Sakae Sushi, Sushi.
Comments: 25
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Comments
Comment from wayne
Time: January 17, 2008, 4:18 pm
Do any of you old-timers remember GENROKU? The original NY conveyer belt sushi place on 5th Ave & 35th Street, long closed? That was 20 years ago and it was tough to get out for under $10. Zach, you better budget for 4 days of peanut butter after a visit to Sakae.
Comment from kristina
Time: January 17, 2008, 4:19 pm
That frog beats Teriyaki Boy in the Adorable Games! Hands Down!
Comment from Rudy McBagel
Time: January 17, 2008, 4:29 pm
If that was a London sushi house there would be a russian ouside with a geiger counter.
Comment from G
Time: January 17, 2008, 5:14 pm
I remember Genroku very well. Yes, a long time ago
Comment from Gotham City Eats
Time: January 17, 2008, 5:16 pm
Is this the only conveyor-belt sushi place in the city? In So. Cal these things are all over the place. Pretty pumped to go there! Ha were they curious why you were so interested in “checking it out”?
Comment from Rudy McBagel
Time: January 17, 2008, 6:22 pm
Oh, Good God.
Zen Burger,……..Salad…..now Sushi……..what horror’s doth await us tomorrow?
I may have to send Zach my profile………….just to….you know be the ying to his yang.
Comment from Gen
Time: January 17, 2008, 6:32 pm
When they first started in Singapore, we were so excited! Sakae Sushi is all over now … heh heh but since we’ve been away from Singapore for some time, we do kinda miss them and am happy to know they are opening soon, can’t wait! :o)
Comment from Anonymous
Time: January 17, 2008, 10:12 pm
Zach, you’re so lucky to have a sneak peek of Sakae Sushi!
There is a conveyor belt sushi joint on 3rd ave in the 20s: East. Usually, it’s tough to get a table by the belt…and the sushi, from what I remember, was ok, nothing fantastic.
Comment from Matt
Time: January 17, 2008, 11:39 pm
Rudy will send in his profile when Angela eats his meat
Comment from Lil’ Jimmy
Time: January 18, 2008, 9:08 am
There was a conveyor belt sushi place on 46th between 5th & Madison only a couple of years ago. It’s now … shocking … a Starbucks.
Comment from Annie
Time: January 18, 2008, 9:43 am
the Bowery Whole Foods has a conveyor belt sushi set-up, but what’s the point? the sushi is fresh, of course, but not imaginative or interesting. And you can’t get up from that bar, full, for less than $20. Really not worth it–and yet I loved Genroku and the place on 46th! And the branch of Genroku at the White Plains Galleria, which actually was very inexpensive!
Pingback from We ARE The Jetsons | Guest of a Guest
Time: January 18, 2008, 10:17 am
[...] [Photo from Midtown Lunch] [...]
Comment from olivia
Time: January 18, 2008, 10:18 am
there’s been a sushi conveyor belt at east sushi around 27th and 3rd for ages.
Comment from Marshall
Time: January 18, 2008, 11:15 am
This place is located on the block where I work, and I couldn’t be happier. I think it WILL be possible to do a $10 lunch here. The menu indicates that there will be 6-pc, simple rolls for $1.90… am I wrong here? They are labelled Makimono. For light eaters, three of these rolls would run you under $6… fice would be under $10, and I could see five small rolls being a simple, somewhat filling lunch. Can’t wait to try this place when it opens, although I may wait a few days before I head in… nothing worse than eating at a restaurant on its “soft-opening”…. PS, I just found out about this site and it is definitely a new favorite — bravo!
Comment from Amy
Time: January 18, 2008, 1:03 pm
I seem to recall seeing a conveyor belt restaurant in Saks Fifth Avenue–am I imagining this?
Comment from VY
Time: January 18, 2008, 5:33 pm
To Amy:
Yes, the Charbonnel et Walker Chocolate Bar on the 8th floor of Saks Fifth Avenue NY has a counter with a conveyor belt.
Comment from panduh
Time: January 22, 2008, 1:41 am
Pretty much any maki roll sushi with fish and fish eggs and avocado wrapped on the OUTSIDE is B.S. sushi.
Pingback from Midtown Lunch » Midtown Links (Paper Comes Down at Sakae Edition)
Time: January 25, 2008, 1:32 pm
[...] paper has come down at Sakae Sushi, and their PR people are saying they will be open for dinner tonight (although that’s what [...]
Pingback from Midtown Lunch » At Lunch Now: Sakae Sushi is Open! (sort of)
Time: January 28, 2008, 1:49 pm
[...] conveyor belts have been fired up and are officially turning at Sakae Sushi on 43rd St btw. Lex+3rd. There’s plenty of sushi making the journey around the restaurant, but [...]
Comment from Anonymous
Time: January 31, 2008, 1:12 pm
I like this place a lot too, it used to be my after watching football on Sunday’s spot. Lucky for me this new place is in the building where I work so I will deff be checking it out, I’ve been walking past there eying it for quite some time now.
“Zach, you’re so lucky to have a sneak peek of Sakae Sushi!
There is a conveyor belt sushi joint on 3rd ave in the 20s: East. Usually, it’s tough to get a table by the belt…and the sushi, from what I remember, was ok, nothing fantastic.”
Comment from simon
Time: January 31, 2008, 1:44 pm
there is a conveyor belt sushi place in the whole foods on bowery
Comment from starstuff
Time: January 31, 2008, 3:58 pm
About 15 years ago there was a place in the village called Tsunami on West 3rd that had a conveyor belt.
Comment from Rosemarie
Time: February 7, 2008, 11:31 am
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
Pingback from Midtown Lunch » Sakae Sushi is Betting That You Care More About Fun Than Value
Time: March 3, 2008, 10:01 am
[...] prices of things should not have been a surprise. I had the mammoth menu in advance, and even posted it here on the site. I had ample time to look it over, see what kind of strategy I was going to use to try utilize to [...]
Comment from Julie
Time: August 21, 2008, 10:45 am
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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