Results tagged: Kai

The Joy of Sake returns to Webster Hall tomorrow night to showcase over 250 premium sakes and food from some of NYC's top Japanese restaurants. If you're eager to learn about sake you won't want to miss it. Sample the full spectrum of junmai, ginjo and daiginjo sake, including many award-winning and near impossible to find selections. A wide range of sake-friendly dishes will be available from standouts like 15 East, Bond St, Bozu, EN Japanese Brasserie, Geisha, Hibino, Kai, Matsugen, Oms/b, Riingo, Sakagura, SushiSamba, Woo Lae Oak and Zenkichi. Kampai!

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The Joy of Sake

When: Thursday, September 24th from 6pm to 9pm
Where: Webster Hall, 125 East 11th Street in the East Village.
Tickets: $80 in advance, $90 at the door. Order online at Joy of Sake website or call 888-799-7242.

Most chefs in NYC have a favorite Japanese restaurant. Daniel Boulud loves Sushi Seki on the upper east side. Michael Romano loves Yakitori Totto in Midtown. David Bouley loved (past tense because owners packed up and left town) Honmura An in SoHo.

All three of the places mentioned are phenomenal and each in their own way. Seki's fish is very fresh and the menu is creative. If you're looking for authentic Japanese sushi, like what you might find in a hi-rise building in Tokyo, this isn't it. Seki really plays with flavor and texture. Sit in front of him at the sushi bar and let him take you on a journey.

In early 2004, Chris and I stumbled upon a dark set of stairs on west 55th street and decided to check out what was at the top. We walked into a room of mostly men in suits eating dinner. We were escorted to a seat, and handed menus which had things like "chicken sashimi" and "chicken heart" on it. We were so excited to find this restaurant and made a pact to keep it our little secret. Then later that year, Peter Meehan wrote our "secret" place up in his $25 and under column. Yakitori Totto is still one of our favorite places to go. We love the staff, the food and the feeling of this little restaurant. Every visit is an adventure and feels like a trip to Japan, but never have we spent $25 or under.

I can't bring myself to talk about the soba at Honmura An. It's just too depressing. However, when I sat down with chef Bouley to talk about his three NYC restaurants, we talked about another Japanese restaurant which I had just come from filming.

Kai Restaurant is a jewel. Located above the ito-en store - which in itself is a treat - Kai's main dining room overlooks Madison Avenue. There are also 10 seats at the sushi bar. You can order a la carte but put yourself in the hands of the pre-fixe menu. Kai serves a traditional kaiseki cuisine meaning, several courses of hot, cold, raw and cooked. Kaiseki takes seasons very seriously. The menu is set around the flavors and seasonal foods which are available and then expertly cooked by Yorinobu Yamasaki. Watch the video to see the restaurant, the food and chef Yamasaki talk about Kai.

I couldn't give Kai a heartier recommendation, especially if you find yourself on Madison and 68th. But if you are looking for that authentic sushi, akin to what you'd find atop a Shinjuku hi-rise, get yourself over to Jewel Bako.