nynyeateat

Sushi of Gari
402 E 78th St, between 1st and York Aves
(212) 517-5340

Pricing: Not Cheap
Venue: Sit Down
Cuisine: Japanese, Sushi
Favorite Dish(es): Omakase, also called “Gari’s Choice” ($$$$)

If you love sushi, you must try the chef’s special “Omakase”. If you’re not sure about sushi but you’re adventurous, you’re in for one of the best Japanese experiences you’ll ever find in NYC. Sushi of Gari is about serving contemporary Japanese creations with fresh, quality fish. The UES location is small and semi-upscale, and the waitresses are attentive, gracious, and very polite. Reservations are a must.

Now, on to the food.
Even though I love sushi, I’m pretty limited to salmon and any white fish. I don’t like tuna because it tastes too iron-y and everything else is too “fishy”. Now having said that, I was able to eat every single piece of sushi they brought out (all 12) and loved all but two. Each piece is specially prepared to bring out their best flavors and mask the negatives (such as fishiness or mushiness). Whether it be pairing the fish with a sauce, adding different textures with vegetables, or cooking it to add firmness- it’s obvious that each one is thought out and intentionally choreographed. Case in point, the seared rock cod had a fantastic smoky flavor, which if served unprepared is just another white fish. The yellowtail is just another white fish, but paired with the jalapeno sauce is crunchy, spicy and one of my top 3 favorites. Remember I mentioned earlier strongly disliking tuna? The seared tuna with shredded onions and crispy garlic is truly the best tuna I’ve ever had. I still don’t like tuna in general, but I’ll gladly eat it here.

Let me toss in my least favorite of the group, so we don’t end on a bad note. The raw sweet shrimp with bell peppers. It’s not their fault. It’s the shrimp’s fault. The crunch of the peppers just wasn’t enough. They’re just so gooey. Slimy. And sea-y…

Moving on.

Now my ultimate favorite was the salmon with tomato and minced onion. I love salmon- so what can go wrong with this combo? It’s melt-in-your mouth goodness. Reminiscent of the toppings on a lox bagel, even moreso because there was a dollop of cream cheese under the tomato. *shiver* (I’m re-living the moment as I type wondering what special occasion I can think up to have Justineateat take me here again…)

After 3 courses, surprisingly full from fish, we had just enough room to be tempted with their fried red bean ice cream. I’ve had bad experiences with fried ice cream (being served goopy and melting) so I was hesitant to order it, but THIS was really yum. All in all, would definitely recommend this place for a special occasion.

And onto the Sushi Porn…

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

And Something Sweet.

Online Menu

Filed under: Date Places, Japanese, Not Cheap, Sit Down, Sushi, Upper East Side Tagged: | Best Sushi, Date Places, Japanese, Japanese sushi, NYC Sushi, Omakase, Seafood, Sushi, Sushi of Gari, Upper East Side