Sushi Yasuda: Eating my Words Piece by Piece...

"I'll never eat sushi in New York again." These are the infamous words I uttered to Chief upon my return from Japan. Did I come across as being a sushi snob and end up eating crow? Yes, however, after having the pleasure of eating some of the finest sushi in Japan it seemed somewhat justified at the time. That is, however, until I ate at Sushi Yasuda. Located only a block away from Grand Central, MW and I found ourselves at this hidden sushi haven on a Saturday evening. No sign signifying the building was Yasuda, only a single fish which symbolically captures the medium through which Yasuda-san and his staff work their artistry.

Ask anyone where the best sushi in New York is and you'll likely get a plethora of responses. Some may suggest Sushi of Gari, others insist on Kuruma Zushi and the few who've had the luck (and money) to eat there swear by Masa. Instead of arguing over something as subjective as where the best sushi was, I focused my search on where the most traditional sushi was. The fruits of my labor led me to Yasuda and after making a reservation at the sushi bar I wholeheartedly concur; Sushi Yasuda provides a traditional Japanese sushi experience like no other I've experienced in New York.

The interior at Sushi Yasuda was soothing to the eyes; modern and minimalistic, light-colored wood enveloped the restaurant. While there are a few tables the centerpiece of the restaurant is the sushi bar, highlighted by five to six sushi chefs working under spotlights. For full disclosure MW and I were not seated in front of nor was our sushi prepared by Yasuda-san. In fact, upon confirming my reservations I was told by the receptionist that Yasuda-san does not even work on Saturday evenings. Disappointed but not shaken, MW and I were led to inside to the "L-shaped" sushi bar and were immediately given a hot towel for our hands and a pot of Green Tea. MW and I had our minds set on ordering the omakase and leaving the meal in the hands of our capable sushi chef. As much as I like to think I know about sushi I freely admit that I know next to nothing about sake and am usually intimidated by this decision. However, there are only a few selections to choose from at Yasuda and even better they are all $10. MW and I asked our sushi chef for a sake recommendation and he suggested a cold, dry sake from Hokkaido which ended up pairing beautifully with our meal.