Omakase at Sushi of Gari in New York in pictures

Generous sushi omakase at Gari

Cuisine: Japanese, specialises in sushi.

Visit: 2012 & 2013 (a number of times).

Price: High (superb quality of fish and execution of the dishes is so creative and tasty that it is a special treat that you will not regret, unless you do not like raw fish).

Sashimi omakase

Omakase (お任せ) means “I’ll leave it to you” (from Japanese 任す, entrust)” and in practice it is a tasting menu at a Japanese restaurant in which you entrust yourself and mainly your taste buds into the hand and ideas of the chef. The chef will work with the best and freshest ingredients available that day and the best ones try to show off their culinary skills creating an unforgettable taste experience. This is a paradise for foodies and hell for the diet fanatics. People with dietary restrictions are asked before the dinner what the chef should avoid (allergies, dislikes, preferences) so he/she then can adjust the plates to the customer’s liking.

White fish with uni sushi omakase

Sushi often dominates the omakase courses. Sushi is a slice of fish, vegetable, egg, meat or other “garnish” that is put on a bun of sticky rice.

At Gari you can do only sashimi, sushi or a combination of both. You pay per piece so bigger eaters will receive a higher bill. It is way less expensive that the LA’s famous Urasawa and the atmosphere is more casual and buzzing.

Red snapper with lotus sushi omakase

The Japanese red snapper with topping of seasoned baby greens, roasted pine nuts and Crispy Lotus Root is a work of art one hesitates to eat. It is hard to say what is better – the taste or the visual appearance.

Creamy & plump tuna sushi omakase

The Tuna with Tofu Sauce is mind-blowing. The fish is plump and tender, while the creamy topping of tofu with a slightly sweet relish take out any fishiness that may remain on the palate.

White fish with scallions sushi omakase

Lean and clean that is how I would describe this White fish drizzled with green japanese scallions sushi.

Dried mushrooms & fish sushi omakase

Rustic beauty is for me the Dried mushrooms & tuna sushi. Isn’t that beautiful? Nature is calling. It is pure.

White fish with egg sushi omakase

The White fish with egg sushi is original. I am not a big fan of boiled egg in any form, but in combination with the fish it was a bomb. Literary the egg burst in my mouth spilling the yolk into the fish and creating a wonderful rich blend out of light fish.

Vegetable tempura sushi omakase

One would think that putting a fried tempura on a dry sticky rice might be too much of the same mouth-draining thing. Yet, at Gari they figured out how it can work. The vegetable has some juice left and the batter is not too dry with some oil moistening the tempura so it is all keeping the right balance.

Seaweed & salmon sushi omakase

The quality of fish is the decisive player in most of the dishes. The simpler the sushi, the more the fish stands out. The Seaweed & salmon sushi was right in between. The soft, in mouth melting salmon was delicious on its own, but the earthy and deep seaweed with sesame made it more complex and balanced.

The colourful & the simple sushi

NOTE: I have not put all pictures here as it would take a number of pages. Each time I eat at Gari I get something new. These above are just to whet your appetite.

Chef at the sushi bar

Address: Sushi of Gari has a number of locations in New York.

I usually go to these two:

370 Columbus Avenue (bet. 77th & 78th St.) New York, NY 10024; USA
Contact: Tel: +1 (212) 362-4816

347 W 46th St; New York, NY, USA
Contact: Tel: +1 (212) 957-0046

Opening hours differ so better check the website or call the restaurant.

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Soto: the newest japanese hit in Manhattan

Cuisine: Japanese, chef does omakase sushi tasting.

Visit: September 2012

Price: High (all small dishes cost between $10 and $28, omakase nigiri sushi 8 pieces for $46; 12 pieces comes to $62).

Soto in West Village

New York is always on the move and the same is true about its restaurant scene. Every time I visit this bustling and vibrant city I find a new and at the same time an excellent japanese restaurant. Soto is my latest exploration. With its simple and discreet entrance and interior you are assured that Soto is not one of the flashy japanese chains where the top city players dine over their business ideas, but a down-the-line gastronomic paradise for japanese food lovers.

Soto sushi bar

Atmosphere: A neighbourhood dining spot without fussy decoration. The interior is very simple. There is a long wooden sushi bar, tables along the wall and a more secluded ones at the back of the restaurant. There are no private separate rooms available. People dress casually as well as fashionably, so whether you are in jeans or coming straight from work in a suit you will be fine. The service can be sometimes a bit slow and misunderstand your requests, but you can see that they try very hard to meet their guests’ demands.

Cyu Toro Tar Tare

Food: Creative, delicious and modern. Uni rules the menu here. You will find it in many of the tapas-size creations at Soto. Some diners might complain about the size, but I would guess that they might be Americans since in Europe and Asia these portions would be standard at high-end japanese restaurants.

Fluke Ponzu at Soto is a great starter. The refreshing thinly sliced fluke fish with chive, shiso leaf, ginger shoots, scallion, under minzore ponzu sauce is served in a cocktail glass and styled to perfection. The fish is fresh and all the accompanying ingredients underline its envigorating properties. With a cup of green tea or sake (warm or cold) the Fluke Ponzu will whet your appetite for the rest of the food.

Fluke Ponzu

Another party-like dish served in a Martini glass  is Uni Cocktail-Murasaki/California. Here the chef’s love-affair with uni (sea urchin) shows in a revealing fashion. The sea urchin sashimi with soy reduction and fresh wasabi is intense as uni always is, but the wasabi calms its powerful taste down with its spicy character and the soy sauce reduces its for some people strange mushi nature.

Uni Cocktail-Murasaki/California at Soto

Served on an eye-appealing plate, the  Sea trout carpaccio with black truffle sea salt, chive and caviar, on a side with water cress sprinkled with miso mustard sauce and sesame, this dish was both creative and delicious. The tender sea-trout melted gently on my tongue. Enhanced by the even softer texture of the delicate caviar, the crisp and fresh water cress contrasted the mellow nature of the sea world (the fish and caviar). The chef achieved in this dish a lovely balance.

Sea trout carpaccio

Tar tare tuna roll was the special roll of the day so we had to give it a try. It was unique, complex and tasty. The spicy tuna tar tare in a white kelp wrap with asian pear, cucumber, avocado, sesame, pine nuts and scallion was wholesome and perfectly matched a glass of California slightly oaky Chardonnay.

Tar tare tuna roll

I also had the Soto’s miso soup served with tender piece of lobster and uni. It was very nice and rich, but not too powerful. Not the best miso I have had, but satisfying.

Drinks: Good sake list and basic wine list with reasonably priced bottles as well as wines-by-the-glass. I liked their California Chardonnay by-the-glass as it was floral and fresh and also the crisp and zingy German Riesling went tremendously well with most of the seafood and fatty-fish based dishes such as the tuna or uni. They also had a bottle of Koshu, the pinkish Japanese wine, so if you feel like trying something different and unusual, go for it! The tea selection is basic – Japanese green tea as usually although it is quite a good one.

Opening hours: Mon-Sat: 5:45pm-11:45pm

Address: 357 6th Avenue  New York, NY 10014, USA

Contact: Tel: +1 (212) 414-3088

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