Emily C.'s Profile
DateBrooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 384-2152
1 or 8
Categories:
Japanese,
Sushi Bars
Neighborhood: Williamsburg - South Side
1 Previous Review:
-
2/14/2010
Just had an amazing meal here last night. Really, every single thing we ate was stellar, and I don't say that frequently about an entire meal (you'll note this is only my second Yelp review - this place is worth it).
We ordered everything to share. The place is not inexpensive, so I'd recommend this strategy if you're going for anything more than just sushi.
To start, we ordered the Sukiyaki (Ribeye) Terrine and the Tuna Tartare.
The sukiyaki terrine is a thick slab of rich, sweet yet savory gelee with a strip of ribeye streak in the middle rolled around onion, shitake mushroom and what looked like tender pieces of carrot. It's served with some delicate greens and a slow-cooked egg. Putting together the perfect bite with a little bit of everything, including a little sunny yolk from the egg, resulted in complete seduction of the palate. This dish was delicate, yet meaty and sweet with a little lushness from the yolk. Just amazing.
Not to be outdone, the tuna tartare wowed us with a creamy layer of wasabi mayo guacamole. The flavors and feeling of the mayo really went so well with the fattiness of the tuna. The presentation of the dish was also top-notch, as it was dotted with thin, translucent slices of dehydrated tomato and citrus.
After that, I could have left the restaurant happy. But we were already into a clean, fresh glass of one of their sakes and ready for our main course.
For dinner, we ordered omakase (chef's choice) for sushi. The chef sent out pieces of two types of tuna, botan shrimp, mackerel, hamachi, scallop, eel and uni (sea urchin).
The only piece I didn't try was the mackerel, as I don't care for it. My comments on the rest of the sushi:
- the scallop was outstanding - probably the freshest, sweetest tasting piece I've had anywhere
- my dining companion commented that the eel was tastier than he'd had at other places because they didn't overdo it with the sticky, sweet barbecue sauce. this piece tasty smoky and sweet with no sauce on it.
- the shrimp may have been cooked (we couldn't decide), but regardless of what they did to it, it was tender and sweet
- my dining companion commented that the uni was not the best he had had, but he didn't hate it either. I can't speak to that, as I don't like uni in general and this was no exception.
Getting one order of the omakase was more than enough for both of us, since we had split appetizers.
After we were done with sushi, the owner came over and made a recommendation for us. On this particular night, the owner said they had a few big pieces of yellowtail neck still on the bone. He recommended that we let the kitchen fire some up for us, so we went for it.
Disclaimer: I love yellowtail across the board, so I was already biased towards enjoying this dish. But I've never had anything like it. They grilled it until the skin was just barely crunchy and crispy. The meat was fork-tender and (again) sweet. It had a silky texture and a smokiness as well. The fish was served alongside grilled leeks with a lemon wedge to further offset the sweetness. I don't know when they'd have it again, but your best bet is to ask the owner or the sushi chefs what sort of special fish they have and let them surprise you.
We did make it (somehow) to dessert with enough room to try something, so we split the white sesame tart with black sesame ice cream. It was elegant, sweet without being too sweet, and a perfect closing to a totally indulgent meal that didn't leave us feeling stuffed. We also had a glass of pepper-infused plum wine called Hannya that finished with a forward note of spiciness ... highly recommended.
I know I've waxed rhapsodic here, but I was truly impressed by this meal. Everything was phenomenal.
The only thing I think they have to work on is the lighting. Having a big, airy space makes it difficult to infuse a sense of intimacy, and dimmer lighting will help. Since they just opened this week, and because the food and service were aces, I give this place 5 stars. They earned every one, and I can't wait to go back and try more dishes.
Thanks, also, to Shinji for being a welcoming and gracious host to us.
New York, NY 10017
(212) 838-0844
Lily's Restaurant and Bar
Category:
American (New)
Neighborhood: Midtown East
I've been a guest at Lily's bar and restaurant since about April 09, and I couldn't even properly recount all the amazing meals and drinks I've had here despite the fact that I used to get paid to write about food.
My first visit was for a "tweetup" with author and superblogger Chris Brogan and other users of Twitter, so my initial draw to the place was because it was a haven for the people who light up the social media/entrepreneurial space. It was great to meet Chris, but what may have been even better (for the purposes of this review) was the amazing &^%$-ing Bloody Mary made for my by Paul, bartender extraordinaire. It was spicy, savory and huge - everything I want in a Bloody on a Sunday morning.
Since then, I've had crazy sweet/crunchy boar bacon with cheesy grits (Spring 09 menu), a moist, meaty, almost-manly burger (random night in June), oysters so fresh you could practically see saline crystals forming in the mignonette (August 09) and a beautiful, bright orange gazpacho (summer's swam song, September 1).
On top of the amazing meals I've enjoyed here, I've met some amazing people due to its reputation for being a social media hotspot. The crew here is great - they bend over backwards to make sure every guest is taken care of and comfortable.
It's in Midtown, so you have to know I mean it when I say this place is great. Great food. Superb people. Ridiculously hospitable service. Run, don't walk ... get yourself a table at Lily's.
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Brooklyn, NY
Yelping SinceJanuary 2009
Things I Love Find Me InClinton Hill, probably wearing pink
My HometownBoston, Mass. Sarasota, Fla. & NH
My Blog Or Website When I'm Not Yelping...I'm eating. Seriously, I'm probably eating right now.
Why You Should Read My ReviewsI'm not gonna bother writing one unless it's helpful.
My Second Favorite Website The Last Great Book I ReadMichael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma
My First ConcertJohnny Cash & Loretta Lynn at a Ponderosa campground with my grandparents
My Favorite MovieHuman Traffic
My Last Meal On EarthInside a guacamole volcano with a river of margaritas on the side.
Most Recent DiscoveryA little baking soda in blanching liquid keeps color of greens more vibrant.
Current CrushNB. :)
We ordered everything to share. The place is not inexpensive, so I'd recommend this strategy if you're going for anything more than just sushi.
To start, we ordered the Sukiyaki (Ribeye) Terrine and the Tuna Tartare.
The sukiyaki terrine is a thick slab of rich, sweet yet savory gelee with a strip of ribeye streak in the middle rolled around onion, shitake mushroom and what looked like tender pieces of carrot. It's served with some delicate greens and a slow-cooked egg. Putting together the perfect bite with a little bit of everything, including a little sunny yolk from the egg, resulted in complete seduction of the palate. This dish was delicate, yet meaty and sweet with a little lushness from the yolk. Just amazing.
Not to be outdone, the tuna tartare wowed us with a creamy layer of wasabi mayo guacamole. The flavors and feeling of the mayo really went so well with the fattiness of the tuna. The presentation of the dish was also top-notch, as it was dotted with thin, translucent slices of dehydrated tomato and citrus.
After that, I could have left the restaurant happy. But we were already into a clean, fresh glass of one of their sakes and ready for our main course.
For dinner, we ordered omakase (chef's choice) for sushi. The chef sent out pieces of two types of tuna, botan shrimp, mackerel, hamachi, scallop, eel and uni (sea urchin).
The only piece I didn't try was the mackerel, as I don't care for it. My comments on the rest of the sushi:
- the scallop was outstanding - probably the freshest, sweetest tasting piece I've had anywhere
- my dining companion commented that the eel was tastier than he'd had at other places because they didn't overdo it with the sticky, sweet barbecue sauce. this piece tasty smoky and sweet with no sauce on it.
- the shrimp may have been cooked (we couldn't decide), but regardless of what they did to it, it was tender and sweet
- my dining companion commented that the uni was not the best he had had, but he didn't hate it either. I can't speak to that, as I don't like uni in general and this was no exception.
Getting one order of the omakase was more than enough for both of us, since we had split appetizers.
After we were done with sushi, the owner came over and made a recommendation for us. On this particular night, the owner said they had a few big pieces of yellowtail neck still on the bone. He recommended that we let the kitchen fire some up for us, so we went for it.
Disclaimer: I love yellowtail across the board, so I was already biased towards enjoying this dish. But I've never had anything like it. They grilled it until the skin was just barely crunchy and crispy. The meat was fork-tender and (again) sweet. It had a silky texture and a smokiness as well. The fish was served alongside grilled leeks with a lemon wedge to further offset the sweetness. I don't know when they'd have it again, but your best bet is to ask the owner or the sushi chefs what sort of special fish they have and let them surprise you.
We did make it (somehow) to dessert with enough room to try something, so we split the white sesame tart with black sesame ice cream. It was elegant, sweet without being too sweet, and a perfect closing to a totally indulgent meal that didn't leave us feeling stuffed. We also had a glass of pepper-infused plum wine called Hannya that finished with a forward note of spiciness ... highly recommended.
I know I've waxed rhapsodic here, but I was truly impressed by this meal. Everything was phenomenal.
The only thing I think they have to work on is the lighting. Having a big, airy space makes it difficult to infuse a sense of intimacy, and dimmer lighting will help. Since they just opened this week, and because the food and service were aces, I give this place 5 stars. They earned every one, and I can't wait to go back and try more dishes.
Thanks, also, to Shinji for being a welcoming and gracious host to us.