Astute observers, close followers, creepy stalkers – whatever you want to call it – people who read this blog and pay very careful attention – will know that I hang out in the St. Mark’s Place area quite a lot. It’s an area near and dear to my heart – my stomping grounds since ’99 thereabouts. However, as many times as I’ve tromped up and down 8 & 9th Streets, crossing Stuyvesant St., up and down 3rd Avenue… I never really noticed Hasaki. It’s right next to quite a number of places I’ve frequented, and a bunch that I’ve even reviewed, but its below-sidewalk entrance and very muted sign (see above pic!) just meant I never gave it a second glance – until Spicy Ninja & I went out after work for drinks one night, and he said he really liked the sushi/sashimi there so we have to go, like, right now. So we did. And then he insisted we order the omakase… so we did. Yeah, someone pushier & bossier than me who bullied me into things! Who’d have thought that was possible? 😛
I was intrigued by the miso soup as it was darker than I’m used to, and the flavor was much more robust… so I asked the server who informed us that it was red miso. Very interesting. I’m not sure I like it more than white miso or if it was just a nice change from the normal, but it was tasty.
The sashimi course came quickly – a TON of sweet shrimp, fluke?, arctic char, toro, ? (I should have taken better notes, but I’d been drinking), and mackerel. I was happy with the selection and the portion size – that’s a lot of fish! – and toro? Considering the price of the omakase, I didn’t think it would include four nice, big slices of toro. Yumm. Very fresh and delicious.
I was already nearly full when this came out – the sushi course. Tuna (top left), egg, freshwater eel, uni, mackeral sushi, surf clam I think? and then the rolls were tuna, pickled… something… I really should have written this down when I got home, but I totally forgot.
Yvo says: This omakase was $60/person, which I felt was pretty reasonable for what we received. I really enjoyed the selection of very fresh fish, the service was great… Good stuff. I’d go back.
recommended
Steve says
looks yummy.
i think i need a break from omakase. Ko and EN Japanese Brasserie within a month or so of another is so much food. gluttony is a sin. ha
Aimee S. says
What beautiful food Yvo.
Midtown Jimmi says
I used to go to Hasaki in the 90s, and it was considered by some to be a real sushi destination, there was usually a long wait. I used to love it. I wouldn’t say it went downhill, but it lost a bit of its luster. Glad to hear it’s still pretty good.