Most people hit up Sapporo when in need of a nice, big bowl of hot ramen. In a crowded noodle market, though, Sapporo doesn’t particularly hold up well against the competition (a fact proven again by this year’s reader poll.) Don’t count them out of your lunching rotation, though: The noodle joint also serves up several homey and delicious donburi (meal over rice) that make a trip to west 49th street very worth while.
Although Lunch’er Jon was kind enough to do an Ocha vs. Aoki sushi analysis for us, we’ve never actually taken a serious look at Ocha’s lunchtime menu. Turns out, there is fantastic value found in Ocha’s lunch specials, although sushi will most likely push you over $10.
I love Japanese food, especially when the source is a hidden little restaurant in Midtown. So I was super excited when we got an email alerting us to a relatively new spot called Jukai. I was even more excited when I arrived at the address and discovered the restaurant was housed in a semi-secretive tranquil subterranean space. Many of my other favorite Japanese joints are hidden like this (Sake Bar Hagi, Yakitori Totto, etc.), so I had high hopes here.
I’ll admit, that when I first heard that Sunrise Mart was coming to Midtown, I was excited more for the grocery options than for the lunch items. I’d always loved the selection of hard to find Japanese ingredients at the East Village location and was psyched to have them so close to the office. Jeremiah’s opening report and later Donny’s review of the Oyakodon got my attention, so when I stopped in a couple weeks ago to do a little shopping, I was sure to scope out the rest of the menu.
With all the great Japanese food on the menu, what surprised me was how many interesting sandwiches were available. I decided to take a closer look and sample a few of them. Check them out after the jump.
Posted by ultraclay at 9:05 am, June 21st, 2011 under 41st btw. 5+Mad, Japanese, Sandwiches, Sunrise Mart.
I was pretty bummed back in March when Luncher “Matt” told us that Negi-ya (37th btwn Mad and 5th), the Japanese spot formerly known as Washoku Cafe closed its doors. They were the closest place to my office that served a proper bowl of tonkotsu, not to mention all the off the menu snacks in the display case.
Well, Matt wrote back with some good news. Apparently they’ve reopened as “Ronin” – complete with pictures of Robert DeNiro and Jean Reno in the window.
From Matt:
Update on Negi-Ya. They’ve reopened under the name “Ronin.” Same cute, pleasant Japanese lady (who I presume is the manager). Same sushi chef. Takeout is now ordered in front. Waiter service with a red-bearded white guy who also may or may be the owner.
Friend and I ordered “Rice Burgers” – Japanese lady said they’re the only ones in the city to have it. $8. The “buns” are made of grilled rice and hold a filling of your choice. I got sliced pork and ginger and friend got chicken sukiyaki. Served with very good steak fries. Burger itself holds together surprisingly well, filling is well-flavored but a little salty.
They still have ricebowls, noodles, etc. More expensive (chicken teriyaki don is now $8 but organic). Also now a full tap beer selection in the back. Half-price happy hour 5-7.
I stopped by to get a photo and noticed that they’ll be hosting a grand re-opening party on the evening of May 25th (next Wednesday). Check out the flyer after the jump (it’s mostly in Japanese, so if anyone can translate, let us know what it says in the comments.
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Posted by ultraclay at 11:53 am, May 19th, 2011 under 37th btw. Mad+5th, Japanese, Washoku Cafe.
Come tax season it’s a tradition of mine to visit Cafe Zaiya (41st btw. Mad+5th) every time I go see my accountant (his office is just around the corner, lucky guy). But now with the addition of Sunrise Mart, deciding where to eat on 41st St just got a bit tougher- although on my most recent visit the fact that I hadn’t been to the new Sunrise Mart yet made the decision a bit easier. I walked straight to the back and ordered their oyakodon, the Japanese rice bowl with chicken and egg. I wanted to compare the version at Sunrise Mart to the version I had at Sapporo few weeks ago.
And then I realized I should probably go to Yagura too (the ugly duckling of the Japanese stores on that street). After all, they serve oyakodon as well. So how do all 3 oyakodons compare to one another? Will I ever get tired of eating oyakodons? Let’s fine out.
Posted by Donny T. at 9:30 am, March 29th, 2011 under Japanese, Sapporo, Sunrise Mart, Yagura.
If yesterday’s post about the Serious Eats review of Food Gallery 32 got you thinking about stopping in for dinner or an after work snack tonight, you might want to hold off. This afternoon, around 3pm, a sprinkler burst over O-De-Ppang! in booth 3 of the Koreatown food court. The FDNY was on sight in minutes to get things worked out. Don’t panic though, word is they should be up and running again in the next couple of hours.
Posted by ultraclay at 4:10 pm, March 17th, 2011 under 32nd btw. B'way+5th, 32nd btw. B'way+5th, Food Gallery 32, Japanese, Korean.
Yesterday, Luncher “Matt” emailed in with this report:
Washoku Cafe (aka Negi-Ya) may have closed! A coworker tells me the gate’s down, there’s no sign, and they stopped taking credit cards yesterday. It is the first of the month …
Calls to the Japanese cafe and noodle shop just get voicemail. Personally, I’m going to be very disappointed if the only source of decent tonkotsu this side of 40th Street has gone under. The weather might be warm today, but I know I’m going to need more soup before the summer comes.
Posted by ultraclay at 1:30 pm, March 2nd, 2011 under 37th btw. Mad+5th, Closed, Japanese, Washoku Cafe.
The new Sunrise Mart location (41st btw. Madison+5th) is open, and not only is it a Japanese grocery store, it’s also a fully functioning restaurant. Sunrise is a worthy addition to the Japanese Trinity of Cafe Zaiya, Yagura and Mai Cuisine (I guess now it’s a tetrad or a quadrumvirate). Sunrise’s unique combination of a full store and a full restaurant make it one of a kind (in Midtown). Get a look at what they have to offer after the jump.
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Posted by Jeremiah White at 11:30 am, December 9th, 2010 under 41st btw. 5+Mad, Japanese, Sunrise Mart.
Thanks to Luncher “Donny” for this great tip and photo. The Japanese East Village supermarket Sunrise Mart will be opening up a new location in the old Book Off space on 41st btw. Mad+5th- just west of Mai Cuisine and Cafe Zaiya. In other words the famous “Japanese Trinity” on 41st is about to become a foursome. I’ve wandered the aisles of the East Village location many times picking up cool and interesting ingredients to cook with, but I hear there are also some lunch-able snacks there as well. Any Sunrise Mart fans out there? What are we in for?
Posted by ultraclay at 3:37 pm, November 22nd, 2010 under 41st btw. 5+Mad, Japanese, Sunrise Mart.
