Countdown to Price Increase: When the Old Take Out Menus Run Out, the Prices Will Go Up
At the end of my Monday piece on Aoki, the sushi restaurant on 48th btw. B’way+8th with the 3 roll lunch special for $10, I predicted they would raise their prices soon. I didn’t think 24 hours soon. From a commenter yesterday:
ZACH, get this. i went to Aoki today for the first time and all the menu prices were whited-out… it’s now two rolls for $9, three rolls for $11 (and for the record, I got two rolls and they charged me $9.50) … seems my honeymoon’s over before it even began. :(
My initial thought was, “Shit, I’ve ruined it for everybody.” My second thought was “Shit, my co-workers who told me about this place, and convinced me to write about it, are going to kill me.” My goal is to help people find good, cheap lunch, not to hurt them by unearthing deals that are too good to be true, only to have them yanked as a result of the exposure (Del Frisco’s, I’m looking at you). I would have become really depressed if it wasn’t for the little part of me that was proudly surprised that the stupid site I started almost two years ago as an excuse to eat gross food for lunch, was now having a marked effect on the way Midtown restaurants do business.
Thankfully, it turns out I had nothing to do with the price increase- which went into effect a few weeks ago, and only effects the lunchtime combo if you eat in the restaurant. The take out price is still $8 for two rolls, $10 for 3 rolls, although the lady I spoke to at Aoki did imply that the take out/delivery price would probably have gone up as well, but they had all these take out menus printed with the old price. So, like I said on Monday, enjoy the deal while you can, and whatever you do- don’t take a menu. We need those things to last as long as they possibly can…
Posted by Zach Brooks at 8:14 am, April 9th, 2008 under 48th btw. B'way+8th, Sushi.
The search for good (but cheap) sushi in Midtown has been an arduous one. Good is not really the issue, since there is plenty of amazing Japanese food in Midtown. Good and cheap is a different story. Try for under $10, and you’re in a danger zone, where better quality is tempered with smaller portions- and cheapness leaves you wondering about exactly what it is you’re eating. There are a few mediocre take out choices (
Most of the mid range places in Midtown have a lunch deal where you can usually get two rolls with a soup or salad for under $10. 
What kind of price do you put on having a fun meal? It’s not a new question. For example, are you willing to pay $50 to eat mediocre roast chicken with your hands? That doesn’t sound like a good deal. What if there are grown men jousting in the middle of the restaurant? Hello! Or perhaps you’d like some chicken and steak stir fry for $30? I can get that for $7 at any food court. What if a “Japanese” guy named “Jimmy” prepares and cooks the food right in front of you, throwing the shrimp tails into his giant chef’s hat? Now that sound likes fun!
In the end Sakae Sushi is no different then Medieval Times or Benihana. They’re asking how much extra are you willing to pay for sushi when it moves around the restaurant on little colored plates. Not enough fun? Let’s throw in computerized ordering! This sounds awesome. I love conveyor belt sushi! And, I also love weird rolls. And mayo. And I don’t have to know what I’m eating to eat it. And that’s what Sakae is all about. If you like crazy rolls that pair fried stuff with cooked stuff, topped with raw stuff and smothered in some mayo based sauce, then you’re golden.
Restaurants or take out places that serve multiple kinds of ethnic cuisine are always a red flag for me. Why serve mediocre food from four different countries, when you can serve great food from the country you are from? Asian places are the worst offenders too. Thai on the menu at Chinese and Japanese restaurants, Vietnamese food at Thai restaurants, Chinese food on the menu at Korean places, and sushi just about everywhere.
Ever since the 