Posts Tagged ‘sushi’

Blue Ribbon Sushi's Bar

Unlike most of the rest of the 2011 top ten, I didn’t get around to posting on these bad boys. Because I neglected to make a post (my way to remember delicious things) the details of my meals at these fine establishment are lost to my faded memory.  But both are amazing sushi spots that deserve a place in the top ten.

When dining on high end sushi, I usually pass-up the rolls for the nigiri or sashimi.  It just seems that the great flavor of fresh high quality fish gets lost in whatever else is in the roll.  But Kiku Sushi manages to use their high quality ingredients to throw out rolls that offer up amazing flavor and texture combinations.  Good enough that I’d advise treading lightly on the usual usual soy sauce wasabi mixture.

Whereas at Kiku I was impressed with the sushi rolls, Blue Ribbon threw down fantastic nigiri and sashimi.   (I’m sure they make great rolls as well, I just haven’t had the chance to sample them.)  What stands out in my memory is that sea scallop.  The thin cuts were artfully served in the scallop shell with a sauce I made from the liver.  Both the servers and sushi chefs at the sushi bar were friendly, talkative, and informative.  The only draw back of Blue Ribbon is that I can’t afford to be a regular.

So I realize it’s been a while since there’s been a post…. ok a long time, since Randy Moss played for the Vikings.  But it’s time to get back to it.  Anyway, on to the sushi talk!

It’s easy to find cheap sushi in New York, though it’s not necessarily so easy to find good sushi on the cheap.  All too often I’ve been tempted by seemingly amazing sushi specials, only to find tough, low quality cuts of fish or fish past its prime.  Cherin Sushi, however, offers delicious, fresh, and creative rolls at a bargain price.

As you get to the door of Cherin, through the front window you see a simple black rock garden.  Once through the door, you find yourself in a comfortably Spartan, long, dimly lit room.  The sushi bar itself is at the far end of the long room.  With only two seats, the small sushi bar, hard to see from most seats in the restaurant, may be Cherin’s biggest drawback.  It’s always nice to have the option to sit at the bar, talk with chef, and see the sushi being made.  Especially if you’re a regular talking to the sushi chef can sometimes get you the best cuts of fish and off the menu creations.

If you swing by Cherin any evening Monday through Saturday you can get in on a sushi early bird special.  Mondays, the specials run from 5 until midnight, Tuesday through Thursday the special is available from 5 to 8, and Friday or Saturday the special ends by 7:30.  Get your soy sauce and wasabi ready for the “Diet Special”: three rolls or one roll with six sashimi pieces for $9.95; or grab the “Dinner Special”: four rolls or one roll with nine sashimi pieces for $12.95.

Sure, the specials don’t include some of the fancy rolls; but they do have some deliciously innovative sushi on the list.  Among the standard rolls, Cherin’s menu has some awesome house creations: the Sushi Surfer roll introduces banana to eel (an odd-sounding yet surprisingly tasty union), the Jenny roll puts a pineapple and shrimp combination in your chopsticks, and the Crunch roll adds some apple into a standard cucumber roll.  And during happy hour, be sure not to miss the generously priced beer and hot sake.

Even if you think it’s lame to eat dinner before eight o’clock, don’t skip over this place.  The non-happy hour prices still include quality rolls for less than the pre-package stuff you find in stores.  But wait, there’s more.  Cheri is BYOB with no cork or cap fee and has a great liquor store with top-shelf bottles of sake just down the block.

.

.

.

Cherin Sushi
306 E. 6th St.
New York, NY 10003

Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 5pm-midnight
Friday & Saturday: 5pm-1am
Sunday: Closed