Restaurant Review: Sushi Yasaka
I’m a person of tradition, and I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate our second anniversary than to recreate our first (but with new locations, of course!). Last year I surprised my boyfriend with omakase at Sushi Yasuda, which surpassed many of our culinary expectations. After weeks of research and a glowing review from my sister and brother-in-law, I confidently booked two seats at the sushi bar for Sushi Yasaka on the Upper West Side.
When we entered, the place was so packed that we had to maneuver like Tetris pieces past large groups at the door just to find the hostess. As she immediately brought us to our seats, we giggled at those we left behind who didn’t make reservations. Definitely make one if you’re planning to eat at Sushi Yasaka, even if it’s at a regular dining table.
Service was quite attentive. Once we were seated, the waiter immediately brought over menus and gave us ample time to peruse before we ordered a bottle of sake and our appetizer. We really love the milky texture and fruity flavor of nigori, so naturally we ordered it.
The first thing that caught our attention on the menu was the tuna tartare. It came with the most scrumptious seaweed chips. Imagine melt-in-your-mouth fatty tuna, layered on crunchy, semi-salty and bubbly thick seaweed. The result is a match-made-in-heaven.
After we slowly savored our appetizer, our 12-course omakase followed. Like most other omakase restaurants, every piece of nigiri comes one-by-one when you sit at the sushi bar. The sushi was basic, as in the pieces weren’t imaginative. Also, early on I heard the sushi chefs speak Mandarin, which was a slight disappointment. I typically prefer Japanese sushi chefs, due to their attention to detail and dedication towards their craft. But for the modest price of $50, we honestly thoroughly enjoyed our meal.
Here were the 12 pieces that we received, in the following order:
- Japanese snapper
- Horse mackeral
- King salmon
- Shrimp with fried head
- Tuna (lean)
- Needlefish
- Yellowtail belly
- Amberjack
- Seared scallop
- Otoro (fatty tuna)
- California uni (sea urchin)
- Sea eel
To our surprise, the king salmon was actually one of the best pieces of salmon we’ve ever had, which is impressive since salmon is such a typical sushi fish. We tried to order extra pieces of it, but unfortunately they were sold out for the night. So instead, we opted for extra seared scallop and otoro nigiri. They were both so smooth, delicate, and fatty. I always enjoy a good seared scallop nigiri, where the slight smokiness of the cooked bits balance the sweetness of the shellfish. We also ordered an otoro and scallion handroll. The seaweed wasn’t as crispy as we would like (we were spoiled by the handroll at Sushi Yasuda last year!), but it was still yummy nonetheless.
The piece that I could’ve done without was the shrimp with the fried head. I usually LOVE this combo, but it missed the mark here because the head was actually pre-fried. When the piece was ready to be served, they would heat the head up in a toaster oven, which just didn’t bring out the same crispiness as it would’ve had if fried fresh or possibly left in the toaster for longer at higher heat.
Regardless, we had a really fun anniversary dinner. I don’t regret taking my boyfriend, and we still compare all other pieces of salmon to the king salmon we had here. For the best bang-for-your-buck omakase, I would definitely add Sushi Yasaka to your list.
Pro Tips:
- If you want a seat, make sure to make a reservation in advance even if it’s for a regular dining table.
- The sushi chefs aren’t Japanese, so this may not be the restaurant for you if you’re looking for authenticity and art-like preparation of your nigiri.
Restaurant Info:
- Address: 251 W 72nd St, New York, NY 10023
- Menu: Sushi Yasaka Menu
