Marc M.'s Profile

So I've hummed and hawed over whether to Yelp this place or not for the better part of 2 months now. My dilemma has nothing to do with quality, service or my ability to write an interesting review... I'm a selfish bastard and want to keep the best sushi in Manhattan a secret.

Put quite simply, this place is perfect. They're near my place. No one knows about them, so I can always get in (and have elbow room), the service is impeccable, but most importantly the sushi is PHENOMENAL. Most of the fish is flown in twice a week from Japan (as well as other countries from around the world).

A piece of maguro the color of maraschino cherries with a waxy sheen that melts in your mouth with a velvety texture is about the most pedestrian thing they offer. Their kanpachi has a satiny texture almost like ika (only more tender) is incredible and their ikura isn't the fluorescent orange shit your neighbor Lawrence uses for fishing with (think large, plump and dashi infused). Fukin'a man!

Depending on when you go, they have such treats as Sayori and fresh Saba (not the pickled stuff they make oshizushi out of). I would give a kidney for a meal here. But then that's the best part. A 12 piece omakase (chef's choice) is only $40. YES FORTY US DOLLARS! As in you're just as likely to spend more for an appetizer and bowl of ramen at Ippudo than a full spread of sushi at this place.

So why am I letting the cat out of the bag? Honestly I'm a little worried the Japanese corporation that owns the place will shut it down when they see the revenue numbers. It can't be cheap manning a place like that with a staff of ~20 when there are only a handful of occupied tables. Given the prices at places like Sushi Yasuda and Kuruma Zushi for comparable if not inferior sushi, I also have to wonder how they're able to charge so little... Unless the aforementioned places have been ripping us off.

I imagine once they get more popular the prices will go up, but I'll still pay, until some more places like this open up downtown... maybe when there's an icestorm in hell.

Ughh what happend to this place? The first time I went, back when they were running out of noodles and there was a line going around the block, the ramen was sooo good. The pork was moist, tender and delicious and the soup, full of depth and flavor.

The last time I went (and now that Ippudo is open, it will be the last time), the meat was dry and flavorless and the soup was so salty, the waitress could barely keep up with my consumption of water. Still this place is better than the places that are serving ramen out of the package, and more authentic than the place that makes asian burrito's, so I'm giving them a reluctant 3 stars.

When I lived on the other coast, notable restaurant openings were a cherished event celebrated with joyous merrymaking.  Out here, they're an abundant commodity to be researched then often ignored. So when I was scrolling through a list of new openings today, I almost wrote this place off as a chain steak-house that was probably best suited for the mobs up near Times Square.

But then I noticed it's located downtown (near home.... okay you have my attention), served Californian-Itaian-French inspired food (yay.. Cali), has a sushi bar downstairs (WTF?!), and it's owned by a Japanese company (okay now I'm fascinated).

I called up, talked to a pleasant chap with a Japanese accent and got a 7pm reservation. Rolling through the thick curtains, I'm immediately greeted by an entourage of hosts, waiters, and bar staff. Seating was swift and we were placed in a nice corner table in an almost empty dining room in back. The place was bathed in a pleasant light, with pressed tin ceilings, exposed brick walls. To the right was a massive piece of minimalist artwork and a large tree-like floral arrangement in the center of the room gave it that Japanese touch.

If the restaurant gods arranged a marriage between Lupa and Basta Pasta, Greenwich Grill would be their hapa offspring. The menu, is an eclectic mix with a heavy Italian influence and a peppering of "asian fusion" dishes like Chinese chicken salad and Thai green curry fettucini.

Having been to Del Posto, last week, I was worried for this place, but as it turns out the fear was unwarranted... well mostly.

The stripped bass Carpaccio was stellar with soy pickled ginger and garlic on top.

The Chinese chicken salad was well executed with crisp fresh greens, tender steamed chicken and freshly friend wontons on top, but they had to go ruin it with mayo (maybe this is the California influence?). Don't get me wrong, I like mayo for the most part, but not in my Chinese chicken salad.

The vegetarian penne was cooked perfectly al dente (as were all the pastas) and the sauce was more like a tasty veggie stew.

The sea urchin and clam spaghettini came with a generous helping of juicy clams despite being a $9 half plate, but unfortunately it was just a bit too salty for my tastes.

Salt was also an issue with the Zuwai Crab and Bottarga Spaghettini, but there was definitely no shortage of umami here.

For dessert we had a tasty Montblanc sitting on a meringue and some berry preserves as well as a pear sorbet that tasted like smooth frozen ripe pears.

Oh and how could I forget the cocktails. Their bellini involved champagne and a delicious peach and mint sorbet, and their "Wicked" will now go on my list of favorite cocktails along with Pegu's Earl Grey Martini and Angel Share's Groovy. I'm not entirely sure what was in it, but if you like pears you'll love this drink.

All this and some wine came out to a buck thirty including tip... not bad!

So this then is the place to go if you want to see how the Japanese do Italian. I'll be going back soon to try Sushi Azabu downstairs and I'm curious about their brunch now as well.

Let's not beat around the bush... Walking into Ippudo, I had very high expectations.  I usually try not to get my hopes up about a new place because they're almost always dashed, but given the media and buzz in the Japanese community, soaring expectations were inescapable. So it comes as great surprise that I was NOT disappointed.

Before I get into details about the interior I should tell you that I grew up seeking the best ramen in Japan in sweaty pint-sized shops wedged under a subway with a fine patina of grease covering everything.

Entering the temperature controlled cavernous interior of Ippudo I was transported... not to Tokyo as you might expect, but to one of those night-time establishments in Meatpacking. This isn't a sin in-and-of itself, but experience has shown that flashy interiors have an inverse correlation with quality of food.

Although the wait looked intimidating, the interior quickly swallowed up the line and I was sitting at an impressive whole-tree-stump communal table in a few minutes. From their two main offerings I chose the Shiromaru Classic which is their signature tonkotsu stock (white creamy stock made from pork bones). Though the place was packed, my bowl showed up hot and steamy a few minutes later --fast efficient service by any standard.

So how was the ramen? In keeping with my past ramen reviews I've split it up by importance into 3 key pieces: soup, noodles, and toppings.

Soup: This is where Ippudo really shines. The 18 hours they spend cooking the bones releases a richness and depth that just can't be faked (I've heard of places using cream or even peanut butter to try and achieve this). It's incredibly mellow and well balanced having just enough toromi (thickness), without being cloying (like Minca), just enough umami without being salty (like Setagaya), and a pleasant hint of sweetness at the end.

Noodles: The noodles are of the thin Hakata variety and were cooked to perfection. Briny, eggy and with just a bit of springy chew in the texture.

Toppings: They really go traditional here with just 2 thin sliced of chashu (japanese char siu) a bit of cabbage, scallions, and wood ear. The quality of all the toppings was impeccable, but having gotten used to a more heavy handed approach to toppings I have to say I did want for a bit more, especially for a $13 bowl of noodles. This may be a bit of an unfair comparison, but compared to Santoka Ramen's "Toroniku", Ippudo's chashu was both unsubstantial and unremarkable.

Overall, I'd have to say Ippudo is now my #1 spot for Manhattan ramen. Working two blocks from the place I'm even okay with the highish price since my pocketbook will keep my waistline from ballooning out of control.

Update 4/13/2008: Okay, I've been back a few times now and the lines have gotten out of control. I love ramen, and this place makes a damn fine bowl, but 1.5 hours for lunch just ain't cool. I'd suggest either going on an off hour, or waiting until the hype dies down.

Ta for the dinkum pies and tasty tuck!

Having spent a good number of my childhood summers roaming the streets of New South Wales, the word "pie" means something very different to me. Since moving east I've had to adjust my vocabulary in a number of ways and pie = pizza was one of those ways. So when a co-worker asked me if I wanted to get some "pie" I assumed she meant a flat round one of the yeast-leavened-dough-with-sauce-and-cheese variety.

Located just off 1st Ave in the LES, this Aussie hole in the wall looks scary. A look further back however reveals a small pie making factory. What really sealed the deal for me were the various snacks and chockies for sale that I used to bring home by the boxful... and of course my arch-nemesis... Vegemite. If you've never had this vile stuff and aren't Australian, don't bother, it may look like chocolate, but it tastes like salty dirt... While I (or any other non-Aussie I know that's tried it) don't much care for this excrement in a bottle, it's something of a national food there and having a shelf full of it means this place is fair dinkum.

These $5 meat pies are the best I've had between the Pacific and Atlantic. The crust is flakey and crisp yet just firm enough that it holds its insides together well. The fillings vary from chicken to vegetables to ground beef and they have specials. Today I had the Thai curry chicken pie which was somewhere between a spicy green thai curry and a chicken pot pie. Eaten with a side of sweet Thai chili sauce (the regular ones go well with tomato sauce a.k.a. ketchup), it was divine.  

On my way out I noticed a case of Lamingtons(chocolate cake with chocolate frosting rolled in shredded coconut) which I regretted not trying, but that just gives me another reason to go back next week.

So grab your mates and give Tuck Shop a burl!

Went here with a group of Yelpers post event and I have to say I agree with Sam. No one seemed particularly ecstatic about their food and some of us were down-right unhappy.

But before I get into the unpleasantness, I have to say that the terrace behind the restaurant was cute and would make a good place to take a date (keep reading before you rush off to make a reservation). The French wait-staff who were all quite friendly added an air of authenticity that I'm sad to say the food did not live up to.

The "Prime Rib" which happened to be one of the most expensive things on the menu, was the right piece of meat, but that's about where the similarity with its namesake ended. It was cut into a thin rectangular steak and fried. The yelpers who had ordered it explicitly asked for it to be cooked *rare* and it came out fried and brown with the consistency and flavor of wet cardboard. The gratin and beans that came with it were apparently good, but that's not enough to redeem a $24 dish.

I ordered the "sliced skirt steak", which came out looking like 2 brown lumps of leftover meat. I was actually thankful that it wasn't "sliced" because given how they cooked the prime rib, it would have been a new chew toy for Fluffy. The meat was actually cooked close to order (I ordered medium rare, it came out medium), and almost tasted like a good cut of meat, but I couldn't tell because the pepper sauce it came with was hot enough to light Central Park on fire in the middle of a summer rain. To quote fellow Yelper Jessica A., "my soul was on fire". Don't get me wrong, I'm all for spice and am the first to dump Tabasco on my eggs, but I could have been eating a lump of poo (which is what the steak looked like), and it would have tasted no different.

A couple of us ordered a glass of Pinot Noir which the waitress brought out and opened in front of us. I'm glad she poured a taste for all of us before we committed to it because the wine was either corked or improperly stored and tasted like it should be on a salad with olive oil rather than in a wine glass. Switching gears we went to the Bordeaux which was drinkable but still tasted slightly off to me. The pours were very light, which also worked out nicely as I probably wouldn't have finished it otherwise.

I'm okay with mediocre food if it's a good value, but for this money, there are MANY other places in the LES that offer better food. Thankfully, the company was good and while I'll probably never return, the evening as a whole was quite pleasant.

K-town is great for 2 things. The first one is getting really drunk (well, okay, it's also good for drunken karaoke, and eating... while drinking). The second thing is curing that nasty hangover that inevitably results from the first.

Gam Mee Oak is one of those places that's perfect for the bleary eyed 4am food run, when you have the decision making abilities of a drunken nat and there is a dire need to calm your pickled stomach.

Go during an off hour so you don't have to deal with the line going out the door. Once you're seated, the service is quite fast and friendly and while the decor isn't going to win any awards, its dirty grey walls aren't offensive either.

Sul Long Tang, their signature dish is a white, unsalted soup that's made by cooking beef bones for many, many hours. It's at once rich and creamy while simple and light. The soup contains rice, vermicelli, and thin slices of stewed beef on top  to which you can add scallions and sea salt (from bowls on the table) to your heart's content.

You don't get a lot of panchan like most Korean restaurants, but you do get some excellent napa cabbage and radish kimchee that's a nice contrast to the simple soup. And with a price tag of around eight bucks, you really can't complain.

Aside from their signature dish, the menu is very sparse, but there are times when this can be an advantage. My only advice is to stay away from the Bi Bim Bap which was a bit disappointing (there are better places to get this on the same block).

One of the hardest things about moving to a new town where you don't know anyone is finding new professionals you can trust with valuable assets such as your car or home. This becomes all the more important when it's your life that you're entrusting in someone else's hands.

Thankfully there's Yelp, and I decided to go with Dr. Chung after reading Vincent's review. Although they were booked for a few weeks out when I tried to schedule a routine physical, I can now report back that it was worth the wait. Dr Chung and staff quite possibly have the best bedside manner of any medical professional I've ever been to.

The office wasn't lavish, but it was clean and looked like it was well equipped with the latest medical accoutrements. The receptionists were all smiles and looked like they actually enjoyed working there.

During my exam, the doc ran through all the normal tests, explaining each one along the way. He even pulled out an anatomy book to show me what he was checking out at one point.

No lectures, attitude, or other manner of unpleasantness, just a good natured informative guy who took his time to make sure I left healthy and satisfied.

While not quite a Mitsuwa, Sunrise Mart does well with their limited floor space and stocks just about everything you could possibly want from a Japanese grocery store, including Japanese house wares and cosmetics.

Though the grocery is a great resource to have nearby, I'd have to say that the real draw is for the variety of prepared foods they offer for lunch. All the lunchy prepared foods such as noodle soups, salads, sandwiches, fries (with wasabi mayo), rice bowls, sushi, and omusubi (rice balls), are available, but my favorite offerings are their bento boxes.

Bento boxes, for those uninitiated, are "boxes" sectioned off, with rice, 1 main dish and other small compartments, each one filled with a variety of different savory okazu. They usually have about 5 different kinds of bento boxes with everything from gyoza (potstickers) to meatballs, to Korean style beef.

Homely and refrigerated, this isn't top quality restaurant fare (still better than most), but the food is prepared daily and for the price (bento boxes are about $6.50 and they have items starting at just a few dollars), there just isn't a better fast food option out there. I usually walk out of there stuffed, and with a small bag of candy and snacks for later, for around $11.

Pick up a bento box and some sweet pastries on your way up to Central Park and you can have a great picnic in the park. They also have some tables up front to devour your food at before heading back to work.

4 stars for the grocery store
3 stars for the prepared foods

Almost as cute as the owner's dog from which it takes its name, Chibi (lit. tiny) is a hole-in-the-wall sake bar in the heart of NoLIta. Nestled in a residential area,  this bar definitely has a cozy neighborhoody feel with minimal lighting coming from paper wrapped tea lights, outdoor tables in summer, and a warm friendly staff.

The sakes are a tad spendy, but most Manhattanites won't bat an eyelash at these slightly-higher-than-a-cocktail prices. For the extra buck, you definitely get a little more bang with pours that literally overflow from the lacquered boxes they're served in.

Try asking for suggestions from the knowledgeable wait staff, and if you are in a group, order a couple things and give them all a try.