Back to Tanoshi

It was time to head back to Tanoshi Sushi Sake Bar. This time, my sister came along. I enjoyed it so much the first time that I suggested we go there for our one and only sushi fix while she was home. Plus, you can’t beat the value.

img_5414_19691101792_o

How we still had room to eat anything after Smorgasburg and Pies ‘n’ Thighs is beyond me. We stopped by a liquor store on the way and picked up a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc.

img_5419_19511606159_o

They actually started serving sushi at their restaurant next door as well since there are only 10 seats available at the sushi bar divided into three seating per evening at 6pm, 7:30pm, and 9pm. So, now there’s Tanoshi Left and Tanoshi Right. While making a reservation, I requested the original sushi bar which seems to be Tanoshi Right and to sit by Chef Toshio himself. I’m not sure if it worked, but we were seated right in front of him!

img_5424_19511610719_o

We started off with a pretty standard seaweed salad before Chef Toshio got to work slicing fish and preparing the nigiri.

img_5415_19510195868_o

The first piece was kelp-cured fluke. The temperature of the rice is a bit warmer than other sushi restaurants and it’s not packed as tight, so it is ideal to use your fingers. The fluke was light and fresh.

img_5417_19511609279_o

The second piece was Kingfish with a thin slice of kelp over it. It’s also known as King Mackerel. It’s high in fat and the kelp helped cut the richness making it a nice savory bite.

img_5418_19075669034_o

Look at all that uni. Mmmmmmmmm.

img_5420_19075668524_o

I’m a huge fan of salmon sushi. This was King Salmon. So juicy and tender. It practically melted in my mouth.

img_5421_19510244900_o

One of my favorite pieces was served next. The soy marinated bigeye tuna. So amazing. Great flavor and the tuna is so soft, you’d think it was a piece of chutoro. Delicious!

img_5422_19510246220_o

The following piece was amberjack topped with a cherry blossom leaf. The leaf is taken off and you eat the amberjack first. Then we ate the leaf afterwards which served as a palate cleanser for the next piece.

img_5425_19510244540_o

Next up was sablefish. It was slightly torched and served warm.

img_5426_19510197648_o

The scallop was topped with yuzu and a sprinkle of sea salt. It was so good. The citrus and salt atop the poached scallop was a perfect combination of flavors.

img_5427_19698257045_o

The ikura (salmon roe) was great. Ikura is one of those pieces that must be really high quality to be enjoyed, otherwise it’s just a mushy mess. Each egg just popped with saltiness and the seaweed seems to always be toasted just right at Tanoshi.

img_5428_19511608659_o

The next piece was Uni with Quail Egg.

img_5429_19672031636_o

Quail egg tastes just like a regular egg, it’s just smaller. It was silky and smooth. The sea urchin was from Hokkaido which is my favorite. I think it has the best flavor. It has that clean salt water taste.

img_5430_19510244190_o

The Anago (freshwater eel) was so good. The sauce is spread on before being served to you. It was soft and tender with some sweetness from the sauce. Eel is so much better when it’s not drenched in the sauce. This piece had the right amount.

img_5431_19702787021_o

You definitely want to scope out the wall by the window. Hanging there on colorful pieces of paper are the appetizers and specials. I always skip the appetizer and save room for a few extra special pieces at the end.

img_5435_19075670684_o

Once the nigiri portion is finished, it’s time for that small cup of miso soup. Unfortunately, tonight’s was made with shrimp, so I had to skip it. My sister enjoyed it.

img_5432_19077318103_o

The maki roll was next. It’s sliced into three pieces and included wild salmon, amberjack, and bigeye tuna. The maki is so good because the seaweed he uses is excellent. Each one was wonderful.

img_5433_19511608139_o

The omakase ends with a spicy tuna handroll and it is delicious sooooo good. The tuna is not dressed too heavily and the seaweed is just perfect. My sister kept mentioning how good the seaweed was. It really is and it had a nice little crunch on every bite.

img_5434_19511609989_o

I had to try a few specials…

The spicy scallop muscle was good. It’s the side muscle of the scallop that attaches to the shell. It is chopped up and dressed with a spicy mayo sauce with tobiko throughout.

img_5436_19698256475_o

We both tried the salmon belly. Tender, plump, and yummy.

img_5438_19511609659_o

img_5437_19702786501_o

We weren’t sure what else to try. The waitress suggested the Blackthroat Seaperch since it was in season. It sort of reminded me of seabass or sable, it was very good.

img_5439_19077315313_o

Another great omakase at Tanoshi. This is one spot I wouldn’t mind coming back to over and over again. Compared to other omakases, you can’t beat the $80-$90 price range for 10 pieces of nigiri, half a roll, a shot of miso soup, and a handroll…and it’s BYOB! Awesome!


Tanoshi Sushi Sake Bar
1372 York Ave
New York, NY 10021
(646) 727-9056
Website

Share:

Leave a Reply


Looking for Something?