new york x zen

alaskan / fresh salmon / spicy tuna / spider (rolls)

my friend newton from canada was crazy enough to purchase one of jetblue's two-day $10 deals and flew in from canada around dinner time. john proposed to have dinner with everyone but imposed a challenge on the group: to find a very cheap meal. zen won out with its %50 discount off $16 orders and the sushi was surprisingly tasty. we each paid around $10 with tip - in new york, that's as good a deal as any.

zen restaurant, 31 saint marks pl, ny, ny 10003 (between 2nd and 3rd ave)

new york x hiroko's place

hamburg rice

today has been unusually gray and chilly for the middle of may. so when some friends suggested hiroko's place, i knew exactly what i wanted: the hamburg rice. japanese style-meatloaf with rice, egg served sunny side up, and potato salad. the meatloaf comes hot and deliciously tangy. and the gyoza. oh the gyoza ! shared atop precious plates covered in gold and flowers. hiroko's is good for the soul.

hiroko's place, 75 thompson st, ny, ny 10012 (between spring and broome)

new york x ippudo

akaru mordern

a new friend from out of town is here on a food crawl and asked for ramen. i didn't have to think twice: ippudo is often considered number one in the city. some days, i stick to what i know: a bowl of akaru modern -- the original tonkotsu soup noodles, with ippudo's special sauce, miso paste, garlic oil, simmered berkshire pork... the memory is so vivid i can almost taste it. in fact, it's one of the few broths i'll slurp to the last drop.

ippudo, 65 4th avenue, ny, ny 10003 (between 9th and 10th street)