We recently received a tip from Lunch’er “Victor” alerting us to a new sushi place that popped up in the atrium of the Citi Building on 53rd and Lex. But this isn’t just any old neighborhood sushi joint. Here, all orders are placed on iPads! I know what you’re thinking. “Sure, that’s pretty cool, but is the food any good?” Let’s take a look:
Posted by Anna at 9:00 am, January 18th, 2012 under Sushi, Sushi-Teria.
Passed by this on 8th ave and 38th and thought I’d share this with y’all. It’s still in plywood but they finally put up the signage for Roll and Go, and there’s a sign on the window saying they’re hiring sushi chefs… sooooo I’m assuming this is referring to sushi rolls. Is this just going to be just another generic Midtown sushi place? Or could it possibly be something worthwhile? Will it be in the $10 ML price range? Only time will tell.
Posted by Danny at 2:15 pm, August 20th, 2010 under Roll and Go, Sushi.
Ah El Mar: that great big blue that brings us such delicacies as the spicy tuna roll, salmon sashimi and shrimp tempura. Can there be a better piscatorial lunch then a plate of the finest of the sea? Freshly hooked, gutted, sliced and then served raw begging to take a little dunk into a shallow pool of salty soy sauce and nasal watering wasabi. I think not!
ML has always had an ideal vision of what an affordable sushi lunch should cost: 3 rolls for under $10. Any sushi lover out there knows that’s a tough one. Getting 2 rolls tends to be doable in most cheap Japanese eateries, especially if you include those refrigerated cases at delis and markets. However, ML is not about imitation crab and massed produced bento boxes. 2 rolls are for suckahs! Eaters like us need the magic number 3 to satisfy our gastronomic needs. For a while Aoki filled that craving, but their fishy trinity has increased to $11 and they are dead to us hardcore lunchers. Enter Hiroshi (on 3rd Ave btw. 38+39th) and things start to look up for us sushi loving lunchers on the eastside.
Dear God,
Hello, it’s me Mamacita. I know I haven’t been the best lamb in your flock these past few years. In fact, I think I ate some of the flock over rice with white sauce recently. Nevertheless, I ask you now to stand beside me and guide me through this fishy situation. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no fish; for thy stomach pump and Immodium A-D are with me.
Last week everybody was talking Duane Reade sushi. But that is child’s play when compared to this challenge. Yes, I am facing this thing we humans call Jack’s $1.99 sushi rolls. People can talk all they want about it, but it is time someone put their roll where their mouth is. How can such an abomination exist and at such a low price? Such dubious consumables are not meant for this world. I can’t answer such an existential question, I can only follow my destiny: to be the cheap and hungry girl that eats the stuff no sane person would touch. So be it. I’m sailing the ship called Jack’s 99 Cent Store and it’s a one-way ticket to the porcelain gods. So here I go.
Posted by Mamacita at 11:45 am, February 24th, 2010 under Jack's 99 Cent Store, Review, Sushi.
It was with a heavy heart I left my apartment with one last kiss goodbye to my boyfriend. The future ahead of me looked dim, but the task before me demanded courage and strength of will. I had to put on my big girl pants and face the Duane Reade sushi challenge like a true gastronomic gladiator. My arena would not be filled with salivating spectators, but with bright florescent aisles packed with cosmetics, junk food and pharmaceuticals. In fact the DR pharmacy might play a vital part in the aftermath of this challenge. Dios mio man! Will Mamacita meet her maker at the hands of ptomaine poisoning? Find out after the jump!
Posted by Mamacita at 11:45 am, February 18th, 2010 under Duane Reade, Review, Sushi.
Left is Mine, Right is Hers
I have slowly come to the realization that in the matter of sushi (as it pertains to Midtown Lunch’ing) I will never find the holy grail. In other words, you pretty much always get what you pay for… and it’s impossible to get a ton of sushi for less than $10, and also have it be edible. But if push comes to shove, my favorite spot is still Aoki (on 48th btw. 7+8th) even though they raised the price of their 3 roll lunch special from $10 to $11. Tasty Eating is apparently a fan as well, and I couldn’t help but notice that her roll choice is a mirror image of my standard order: eel and avocado, crunchy spicy tuna (don’t judge me), & shrimp tempura. Great minds, I guess? What’s your ideal three roll combo?
Photos courtesy of Food in Mouth
I’ve always wanted to try that Bento Nouveau place (on 39th and Broadway), but after reading this review on Food in Mouth I might pass. They have inexpensive pre-made sushi and udon noodle soups, but Danny went for the beef sukiyaki, which doesn’t look too appetizing- and that’s saying a lot because his photography usually makes the ugliest food look great. Overriding theme of the post: you’re better off going to Woorijip (on 32nd btw. 5+B’way.)
Anybody else eaten at this place? If there is anything worth trying, post about it in the comments.
Posted by Zach Brooks at 9:45 am, July 7th, 2009 under 39th & B'way, Japanese, Sushi, Sushi! by Bento Nouveau.
I’ll admit I completely dismissed Asian Station, the new semi-chic looking Asian restaurant that opened over a month ago next to Bombay Bistro on 52nd btw. 3rd+Lex. Aside from it being a little too cool for school, they didn’t have a menu in the window- and from the looks of it, there was no way it was going to be cheap enough for Midtown Lunch’ing purposes. I do love Asian food though, so I was excited to hear yesterday that their lunch specials are actually well under $10! That’s the good news. The bad news is, they serve Japanese, Chinese, AND Thai food.
Lunch’er Joe was kind enough to transcribe the menu for us. It’s after the jump…
Posted by Zach Brooks at 10:15 am, May 7th, 2009 under 52nd btw Lex+3rd, Asian Station, Chinese, Japanese, Sushi, Thai.
As Eater reported last week, Washoku Cafe (on 37th btw. Mad+5th) has opened for business. They’re running at about 60% right now, with bento boxes, sushi, and drinks packaged and ready for sale. There is a coffee section in the front, but the hot food section in the back isn’t quite ready yet.
A look at some of the food is after the jump…
Posted by Zach Brooks at 10:30 am, December 15th, 2008 under 37th btw. Mad+5th, Japanese, Sushi, Washoku Cafe.
If you read this site often, you know I have fairly strict rules about price. I feel in my heart that lunch should not cost a person more than $10. But I have equally strong feelings about buffets, and when it comes to something like the concept of all-u-can-eat, well… I can’t help but think that rules were meant to be broken. I’ll admit up front I don’t break the rule too often for Indian buffets (there are good Indian buffets in Midtown for $10 to $11… so why spend $17?) but when it comes to Asian buffets, all bets are off. So, two years ago this month I made a price exception and hit up the Todai buffet on 32nd btw. Madison+5th. I thought it was just ok, and definitely not as good as when it was Minado (its previous buffet incarnation, before being bought out by the big buffet chain.)
Since that time the price has gone up to $18.95, not completely shocking for a sushi buffet, but waaaay out of the Midtown Lunch price range (even for a buffet lover like me.) But when I got an email invite to buffet it up with competitve eater (and profiled Midtown Lunch’er) Crazy Legs Conti and a few of his competitive eating buddies, how could I say no!?!
The play by play of our meal, their pearls of wisdom, and a photo of every plate put down by Crazy Legs… all after the jump.
Posted by Zach Brooks at 12:00 pm, November 12th, 2008 under 32nd btw. Mad+5th, Buffet, All You Can Eat, Ichi Umi, Japanese, Sushi.
