Takesushi - Find. Eat. Drink.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Japanese, Sushi

Midtown East

1026 2nd Avenue

New York, NY 10017 (view map)

T: 212-355-3557

Website:

www.takesushi.com

Hours:

Mon - Fri: 12pm - 2pm

Mon - Sat: 5:30pm - 10pm

Robin Kawada is very serious about fish. At the crack of dawn, five days a week, he sells top-quality seafood at the Fulton Fish Market in the Bronx. By 7am, he closes up his stall, takes his four kids to school, and starts his second job running Takesushi, a Japanese restaurant in Midtown East.

For over 35 years, Mr. Kawada has been wearing two hats. One as an international seafood importer/exporter and the second as co-owner of Takesushi, which he says was the very first sushi restaurant in New York City. Back in 1982, Mimi Sheraton wrote a glowing review of Takesushi for the New York Times and gave it two stars. The location of the restaurant may have changed a few times since then, but three of the sushi chefs haven’t; they’ve been with him since 1977, 1978, and 1979.

Perhaps it’s that ability to create long lasting relationships that have contributed to Mr. Kawada’s success. He works the dining room like a impeccable host welcoming guests, greeting everyone with a smile as he takes their coats. But most importantly, it’s the food that speaks the loudest. Incredibly fresh fish and very well-priced. Mr. Kawada says it’s important to him to serve the best seafood available, yet keep the prices accessible.

During the day, Takesushi features a daily Kaiseki (Japanese multi-course lunch) for only $12.00. For a recent lunch, the Kaiseki included miso soup, salad, sashimi, shrimp tempura, mackerel in a light sauce, sprouts and seaweed salad, and steamed rice. At both dinner and lunch, they serve Kushiage (| 串揚げ). Kushi meaning bamboo skewers and age, which translates into fried dish. You can choose between pork, beef, chicken or vegetables, which are served with three different sauces: Tonkatsu, which is more traditional, sweeter and made with fruit and vegetables, a tartar sauce, and a Worcestershire sauce.

The restaurant is Kappo style, which means fine cuisine served less formally, with the chef and customers facing each other across a counter. While the menu includes the usual sushi bar fare, they have an array of far more interesting selections like salt-cured sea urchin, monkfish liver with spicy ponzu, and fluke fin. In addition, there’s the list of daily specials.

End the meal with a Castella cake, a Japanese sponge cake. It’s from the famous cake shop in Nagasaki, Fukusaya. The shop dates back to 1624, when the Portuguese first introduced the cake to Japan.

The restaurant is fairly small, so we recommend getting a reservation. If possible, sit at the sushi bar. Since the clientele is mostly Japanese, and lots are Takesushi regulars customers, you can see what those-in-the-know order.

While Mr. Kawada may not always be there to greet you when you arrive, know that every day he’s making sure you’re eating the freshest fish available.

Robin Kawada’s Sushi Eating Tips:

- It’s perfectly acceptable to pick up sushi pieces with your hands.

- Keep the moist towel nearby to clean your fingers.

- Use the soy sauce sparingly, you don’t want to overwhelm the fish.

- Sushi pieces and rolls already have wasabi on them, so you may not need to add anymore.

- Well-made rice is a key element in delicious sushi.

- The ginger is there to cleanse your palate in-between fish, not as a condiment for the sushi.

WHAT

Japanese sushi restaurant which attracts a predominately Japanese clientele.

WHY

The owner owns a seafood import/export business, which means he’s able to acquire superb quality fish for the restaurant.

TAKESUSHI