Japanese Food and Cooking

The Upper East Side Hosts a Conclave of Superlative Sushi Restaurants

Sushi Dojo's Chef David Bouhadana Does Sushi With a Convert's Zeal

"I always say, I didn't find sushi, it found me," says chef David Bouhadana, who commands the counter at newly opened East Village sushi spot Sushi Dojo (110 First Avenue). He's a Jewish guy who was raised in Florida, he explains, but at 18, he fell into his first sushi job after one of the sushi ch ... More >>

Midtown's Sakagura is Literally Underground

Kenka is a Wild and Freaky Carnival Ride

The East Village's Kenka is a wildly authentic izakaya that might be the most high-functioning example of a themed Japanese restaurant around, an edible amusement park of the fermented, fried, and freaky that gives its own special meaning to that old Gonzo adage, "Buy the ticket, take the ride."

Grading the New Sushi Bar at Lobster Place in Chelsea Market

Lobster Place's uni (sea urchin) was breezy and briny, and got a grade of A-. As part of the current evolution of Chelsea Market, old tenants are grabbing more space and revamping their premises to provide more opportunities for the sale of prepared food. In this connection, seafood distributor an ... More >>

Wylie Dufresne Opens Alder in East Village; Desnuda Opens in South Williamsburg

Wylie Dufresne has caused quite a stir with the opening of Alder, his new restaurant on Second Avenue. The hotspot opened last Thursday and was the newest East Village restaurant to warrant waiting lines around the block. Dufresne told Flo Fab, "It's not meant to be a destination, like wd-50." Inste ... More >>

Stock Dividends at Suzume and Ganso

Two new Brooklyn ramen joints break the mold

5 Ramens to Love, Plus Tribeca's Secret Ramen

It's been over a year since Fork ranked the best bowls of ramen in New York, and plenty of new ramenyas have opened up in the city since then. In fact, we can hardly keep up with the ramen news, what with Yuji Haraguchi graduating from Smorgasburg, and Ivan Orkin working on opening a place on the Lo ... More >>

Yuji Haraguchi Launching Dip-Style and Ramen 'Ravioli,' Plus Plans for a New Williamsburg Restaurant

Since Smorgasburg partnered with Whole Foods, market vendors have been encouraged to use the chain's Bowery space to transition from stalls to full-time restaurants, like the stellar meat-smoking crew of Mighty Quinn's. Starting tomorrow, and going through Sunday, May 12, it's Yuji Haraguchi's turn ... More >>

Tokyo Restaurant Pioneers Vegetarian Sushi, See the Video

Mmmm, that looks like really fresh uni (sea urchin) A hot new Tokyo restaurant in the Rappongi Hills section turns the sushi and sashimi traditions on their heads by offering an all-vegetarian menu. This is not just a collection of cucumber and pickled-daikon rolls, either, but beautifully turned ... More >>

Gimme Five at Chez Sardine

Gabe Stulman adds another Village outpost

Fast-Food Japan Is All Yours on One Midtown Block

Yoshihito Kida and Mika Ohie Bring You the Joys of Soba

Bang for your buckwheat

Why Not Udon?

Inari Udon at Mai Sushi is Dish #31 in our countdown. Welcome to 100 Dishes to Eat Now, the tasty countdown leading up to our "Best of 2012" issue. Tune in each day (weekends too!) for a new dish from the Fork in the Road team.

Sushi Costs More In New York Than Los Angeles Because, Well, Of Course It Does

[See More Edible News: One In Five People Spend More Money On Cell Phones Than Food | New York City Health Board Passes Bloomberg's Soda Ban Proposal] It's called "sushinomics." New Yorkers are dishing out more for sushi than the people over in Los Angeles. The prices represent cost of living stand ... More >>

What's the Oldest Japanese Restaurant in the East Village?

Dish #36 in our countdown is found on the menu of this long-running East Village restaurant. Welcome to 100 Dishes to Eat Now, the tasty countdown leading up to our "Best of 2012" issue. Tune in every day (weekends, too!) for a new dish from the Fork in the Road team. [See More 100 Dishes: E-Sarn ... More >>

Neta: This Week's Review in Pictures

[See Robert Sietsema's photos of Tacos Cachanilla, his review this week.] This week's review is of Neta. Nick Kim and Jimmy Lau, formerly of Masa and Bar Masa, opened their low-key, West Village sushi bar earlier this year. Along with traditional, upscale sushi, Neta serves American-accented spicy ... More >>

Ootoya: Yo, Tokyo!

A Japanese mega-chain invades our fair city

The Story of Futomaki

The futomaki at Ootoya comes disguised like a birthday present. [See More Featured: 10 Best Incredibly Cheap Eats in New York | 10 Best Ice Creams in NYC] Futomaki is a type of sushi that looks like a regular maki roll blown up with a bicycle pump, but still retaining its perfect cylindrical conf ... More >>

Sushi: The Global Catch

Saba Pressed Sushi at Ootoya, Dish #85

Welcome to 100 Dishes to Eat Now, the tasty countdown leading up to our "Best of 2012" issue. Tune in each day (weekends too!) for a new dish from the Fork in the Road team. [See More 100 Dishes: Lamb Barbacoa Taco at Empellón Taqueria, Dish #86 | Build Your Own Burger at Kent Ale House, Dish #88]

The Best Soba in NYC

Canadian organic buckwheat soba, from SobaKoh There's no doubt the Age of Ramen is upon us. You can get ramen noodles on nearly any block in some neighborhoods, including at least a dozen places in the East Village alone, where you can pay up to $20 for a bowl with a choice of myriad toppings and ... More >>

15 East's $29 Three-Course Lunch

The chawan mushi appetizer arrives with a black-truffle crag. When was the last time you were exposed to top-shelf sushi? Most of us measure out our lives in mediocre finger sushi and nori rolls, and only on rare occasions do we glimpse how perfect sushi can be. Not that the democratization of sus ... More >>

Dale Talde Talks About Asian-American Cuisine, Chefs He Admires Part 2

Yesterday, we spoke to Chef Dale Talde about the plans for his new Park Slope restaurant, Pork Slope, and the new brunch he's launching at Talde. Today, we delve into his thoughts on the neighborhood where he's chosen to build his mini-empire, Asian-American food, and which kitchen tool he just can' ... More >>

Maruko Sushi Opens, Selling Mad Cheap Nigiri

Maruko Sushi, a take-out sushi shop on 23rd Street, opened its doors last week, selling individually wrapped pieces of nigiri and an assortment of bubble teas.

How the 'Edo-Mae' Sushi Assortment at Hasaki Is Like a Brief Vacation to Tokyo

What comes in a wooden box and is supremely delectable? Run your eye down the extensive sushi menu at Hasaki, and you'll find many interesting oddities and combinations. At the end of the omakase list, for example, is a $45 combo called Edo-mae Sushi.

NYC's Hottest Ramen: Geki Kara at Tabata

​Geki Kara Ramen is $9 worth of molten chilies--plus noodles. Japanese cuisine has been playing footsie with chilies over the last five years or so, and it's the rare Japanese menu that doesn't boast a fiery dish or two. And today nearly all ramen parlors in the city (which must number nearl ... More >>

Ask the Critics: Where Can I Find Good Okonomiyaki?

Niallkennedy/FlickrJapan's answer to flapjacks​Corinne M. asks: Hi, I'm looking for decent okonomiyaki that's not made in a stall or a cheapish restaurant (i.e., not the place on 9th Street, or Sunrise Mart). There used to be a restaurant near Grand Central that had this. I miss it. Know of a ... More >>

The Early Word: Taka Taka

Lauren ShockeyChipotle sauce adds a Mexican kick to a soft shell crab roll​ Mexican sushi and Japanese tacos: the ultimate in fusion food, right? That's the thinking at Taka Taka (330 West Broadway, 212-966-8252), a new Japanese-Mexican fusion spot located in Soho. We were a bit skeptical ab ... More >>

Dish No. 50: Sushi and Nigiri From the Lobster Place

Rebecca Marx​ New York abounds with pre-packaged sushi, and a lot of it sucks. And that's one of the reasons we're grateful for the Lobster Place, where the pre-packaged sushi is so fresh and pristine it could pass muster in a good sit-down restaurant.

Dish No. 83: Tempura Green Bean Fries at Bento Burger

Lauren ShockeyFreedom beans just doesn't have the same ring...​Green bean fries are kind of amazing. Like, are you trying to justify your consumption of fried fare by throwing a little greenery into the mix? Because, honestly, you might as well be eating potatoes. And the tempura green bean ... More >>

Fancy New Wall Street Duane Reade Does Hair and Nails

​Tomorrow, Duane Reade will open a new location at 40 Wall Street, and to cater to the business types who are expected to shop there, the store will feature a hair salon, a nail bar, a pharmacy with a doctor on-hand, a sushi bar, a juice bar, and a stock ticker. At 22,000 square feet, the stor ... More >>

Brushstroke: The Feast From the East

David Bouley looks to the land of the rising nigiri

Ask the Critics: What Makes My Spicy Tuna Roll Spicy?

flickr/Calgary ReviewsFind out what's in that sauce​Holly G. Asks: How do you make the spicy mayonnaise that comes in spicy tuna rolls? Is it just mayo and Sriracha? Can you find out what's in it? Dear Holly: While spicy tuna rolls aren't classic sushi offerings, there's no question that th ... More >>

Minamoto Kitchoan's Wonderful Wagashi

Rebecca Marx​ This week, we've decided to stray far from the all-American cookies, cakes, and ice cream we so love and venture instead to Minamoto Kitchoan, one of the city's foremost purveyors of wagashi, or traditional Japanese pastry.

Battle of the Upscale, Pre-Packaged Sushi: Dean & DeLuca v. the Lobster Place

Rebecca MarxDean & Deluca's sushi and nigiri assortment.​ New York abounds with pre-packaged sushi, and a lot of it sucks. But while dry rice and fish of questionable origin and freshness are often the order of the day (particularly if you're stupid enough to buy your sushi at Duane Reade), w ... More >>

Cocoron--On the LES in Noodle York City

Prepare to slurp some soba on Delancey Street

Nine Things You Probably Wouldn't Want to Eat At Guy Fieri's Restaurant Tex Wasabi's

sfgate.com​We're sick of Guy Fieri (real name: Guy Ramsay Ferry). The television personality manufactured on the second season of "The Next Food Network Star" might double as a Barnum & Bailey clown. Yet he is now one of the country's most recognizable celebrity chefs. If you want to see how ... More >>

The Early Word: Yuba

Lauren Shockey​Yuba is the Japanese word for tofu skin, which is the thin layer of film that occurs when making tofu as the curding vat of soymilk cools down. While working at Masa, chefs George Ruan and Jack Wei fell in love with the yuba that was flown in daily from Japan, and so they named ... More >>

Where Should I Take My 14-Year-Old Daughter to Eat Sushi?

​The sushi at Natori is pristine in its freshness, and cheap, too. Abby S. asks: I'm hoping you can help me. I'm taking my niece out for a birthday lunch Friday; she's turning 14 and requested sushi. I need a place that's nice but not overwhelmingly so (she's a fairly sophisticated eater, but ... More >>

Ask the Critics: Where Can I Get a Japanese Breakfast?

haveyouhadyourricetoday.blogspot.comBreakfast of champions​ Mo P. asks: My girlfriend is craving Japanese breakfast--the rice/miso soup/pickles/mackerel spread we had every morning in Japan a few years ago. Where can I take her for Japanese breakfast in or around NYC? I know a few high-end hot ... More >>

Ichibantei vs. Otafuku: Which Restaurant has Better Octopus Balls?

Takoyaki at Ichibantei​ Otafuku has long been New York's go-to spot for takoyaki, the delicious gooey dough balls filled with chopped octopus, but the mini-eatery is getting a run for its money from its East Village neighbor, the recently opened "Japanese soul food" restaurant Ichibantei (401 ... More >>

The Best Thing I Ate Yesterday

Welcome to The Best Thing I Ate Yesterday, where we endeavor to remember the very best thing we stuffed down our gullets over the past 24 hours. Why? Because the only thing better than enjoying a meal is wallowing in the memory of one savored in the recent past. Today's fond reminiscences ... Robe ... More >>

Mai Cusine Brings To-Go Sushi, Curry Mackerel, Et Cetera, To Midtown

​Mai Cuisine recently opened near Bryant Park--it's a combination Japanese "deli" and sit-down restaurant, headed by a chef who trained with Morimoto. The capacious front carry-out area offers everything from deluxe sushi packs, to bento boxes, to onigiri, tempura, and "sushi cups." The full-s ... More >>

The Atlantic Grill's Mike Lim on the Best Sushi Fish You've Never Heard Of and Growing up in Malaysia

Mike Lim is behind the sushi bar at the Atlantic Grill ​The Atlantic Grill (1341 3rd Avenue, 212-988-9200) opened exactly a week ago, with chef Chris Lim heading the kitchen and chef Mike Lim (no relation) in charge at the sushi bar. Mike Lim has more than 20 years of sushi experience under h ... More >>

The Atlantic Grill's Mike Lim on his Favorite NYC Malaysian, the Best Piece of Sushi He's Eaten, and Odd Customer Requests

Mike Lim is behind the sushi bar at the Atlantic Grill ​The Atlantic Grill (1341 3rd Avenue, 212-988-9200) opened exactly a week ago, with chef Chris Lim heading the kitchen and chef Mike Lim (no relation) in charge at the sushi bar. Malaysia-born Mike Lim has more than 20 years of sushi expe ... More >>

Hidechan Ramen: Choose Your Own Pork Fat and Noodle Texture

Firm noodles, "light" pork fat​New ramen joint Hide-Chan perches on the same second-floor space that Yakitori Torys occupied until recently, and is owned by the same restaurant group. Like Ippudo, it specializes in Hakata-style tonkotsu, the rich broth made from long-simmered pork bones, and s ... More >>

Morimoto Gets on the Picnic Lunch Bandwagon

Get yor sushi to go.​Following in the footsteps of North Square, Telepan, and Coffee Shop, Morimoto has introduced picnic lunches, particularly targeting High Line goers. The picnic lunches include miso soup, mixed greens with white miso dressing, and bottled water with the choice of a Califor ... More >>

Tiny Totto Ramen Already Packed

​Totto Ramen, the new Midtown noodle joint from the folks behind Yakitori Totto and Soba Totto, has just 16 seats, every one of them taken last night, when there was a 30-minute wait for two. The restaurant opened last week, so its sides and rice dishes are not yet available, but the ramen is ... More >>