Brief Thoughts on Sushi Yasuda

After reading the Zen of Fish I decided to go for what would be my first real sushi experience at Sushi Yasuda this past Monday night. I’ve had good sushi before, but never have I been to a sushi restaurant regarded as best in class and never have I sat at the counter and ordered ‘Omakase’ (chef’s choice, it’s like the tasting menu of sushi.)

Here are a couple of brief thoughts.

A meal at the sushi counter of a truly excellent sushi place will change your views on sushi forever. Eating bite after bite of high quality fish perfectly painted in soy sauce and touched in wasabi (by the sushi chef, not by the diner) makes you realize just how far from great most of the other sushi out there is. During my meal I found myself entertaining thoughts of going back to the same sushi counter and sitting by myself and eating more of the sublime fish they serve at Yasuda.


Unlike many of the higher profile sushi places (I won’t call them restaurants, think Sushi Samba or any place with a waterfall) around the city Sushi Yasuda is all business. Every surface in the restaurant is wood paneled, essentially telling you to forget about the décor and focus on the food. There isn’t even an extensive selection of alcohol, which could possibly numb the palate to the nuances of the different kinds of fish. When eating something a subtly tasty as sushi, the removal of all distractions is a good thing.

The quality of the fish at Yasuda is incredible. Whenever I have a ‘sushi regular’ for dinner, I always dread that fishy tasting piece of mackerel, eating it anyway, but always being slightly upset by the fact that I did. I thought the three kinds (two Japanese, one Spanish) of mackerel nigiri we were served at Yasuda were all excellent with the fishiness taking a back seat to the sweet/savory flavor combination of the mackerel. I also enjoyed being served three to four different kinds of the same fish and being able to detect the slight differences.

Uni is good.

I would recommend Yasuda to anyone who thinks they really like Sushi. It’s a bit pricey, but the experience of sitting at the counter and being able to interact with the person serving your fish as well as the quality and diversity of the fish make it a must-go for sushi fans.


Note: A friend of mine who really knows sushi through years of rigorous training at many of Manhattan’s finest sushi restaurants recommended Yasuda to me, so I feel like I’m just returning the favor. He has been there several times and I am planning on bringing him on in the near future as a guest blogger/restaurant reviewer.