Matsuri
212 -  243  6400
369 West 16th Street
(bet 9th & 8th Avenues)
New York, NY, 10011

www.matsurinyc.com

Open Hours Dinner:
6:00pm  –  Midnight   Sunday-Wednesday
6:00pm –  1:00am      Thursday- Saturday

Open Hours Bar:
5:30pm–  2:00am      Daily

The word Matsuri means festival in Japanese

At the Maritime  Hotel

Chef Tadashi Ono’s wonderful Matsuri transports you directly into the Edo period-  giant paper lanterns  vaulted ceiling, dark wood floors,  jade-green ceramic tiles all create an ambiance to rival a movie set.  Born in Tokyo,  Chef Ono started his career at age 16, and then moved to Los Angeles to train at La Petite Chaya and L’Orangerie.  He then moved east to NY heading up the kitchens at La Caravelle Restaurant; nine years later he opened Sono on 57th Street and now we are so lucky since 2003 to have Matsuri.  Where, in the lushest of environments, Chef Ono presents authentic Japanese comfort food.  Flying in organic grains daily from Japan and offering more than 200 kinds of sake.

Special items for us include:

• Kinpira – Sauteed and Simmered Burdock
• Goma-ae  Spinach
• Hijiki salad  in soy and sake
• Kampach  sashimi with yuzu and green pepper sauce
• the shishinto peppers in dashi
• Mushrooms baked in parchment paper contain all their juices and flavour (ordered everytime)
• Nasu Shigiyaki  -  Japanese eggplant grilled with miso sauce   so sweet and delicious
• Black Cod marinated in sake paste and then grilled so perfect each bite falls effortlessly
• 18 grain rice
• Lotus roots, the perfect snack with a fresh Aldentéd sake crunch
• The sushi and the sashimi are very fresh and clean
• on the sweet side, the warm chocolate cake melts with every bite

Keep an eye out for Chef Ono’s new book:  Japanese Hot Pots; where he directs you to the creation of hot pot meals.  Recipies from the book will be featured in the restaurant’s menu as of late September 2009.

Edamame

Bar

Kampachi  sashimi with yuzu and green pepper sauce

Lotus Roots

Kinpira (sauté and simmer Burdock)

Uni and Fatty Tuna Sushi

Mushrooms baked in parchment paper

Goma-ae  Spinach

Main Dining Room

Neighburrito
212 -  260  2277
127 Rivington Street
(bet Essex & Norfolk)
New York, NY, 10002

www.neighburrito.com

Open Hours:
Noon–   Midnight  Sunday-Wednesday
Noon–  2:00am    Thursday-Saturday

Neighburrito is exactly what its namesake suggests- and a bit more.  The owner is a San Franciscan, forward thinking and green minded.  He sources quality ingredients, cooks without epic amounts of grease and uses biodegradable / compostable items for their deliveries.

The burritos are quite yummy and true to their mission roots.  The Fajita- Rita is a stuffed heaven of portobello mushrooms with sautéed peppers and onions, black beans, jack cheese, and roasted corn salsa.

The Red Menace is an all vegan house specialty, made with marinated crumbled tofu, rice, pinto beans, soy cheese, lettuce, pico de gallo, and tofu sour cream wrapped in tortilla smothered in enchilada sauce.

They are easy and allow you to suplement any of the meats in the menu for portobello mushrooms, Vegan Soysage, or Lime-Cumin Marinated Crumbled Tofu.  As with most burrioto places, you can also build fom scratch and choose from white or whole wheat tortillas.  A few salads, quesadillas and soft corn tacos finish off the menu.

On the drink side they prepare Horchata, Hibiscus Iced Tea  and Tamarindo juice- which really compliment well.

Fajita-rita Portobello Burrito

Fajita-rita Portobello Burrito

LUPA  Osteria Romana
Rstaurant
(1) 212  –   982 5089
170 Thompson Street
between Houston & Bleeker Sts
New York, NY 10012

www.luparestaurant.com

Opening Hours:
Noon  -  Midnight   Everyday

October 2009 will the 10th year anniversary of Lupa; the creation of  Jason Denton- who also brought us our favorite ‘Ino,  Joseph Bastianich- son of Lidia Bastianich of Felidia Ristorante fame, Mario Batali- the well known TV Celebrity chef, and Batali’s  protege Mark Ladner- the executive chef.

Lupa follows the formula that ALL long-term successful restaurants follow: good food at a good price with comfortable service.  We have gone a few times and always have been treated with courtesy and the feeling that we certainly could have spent a lot more for a lot less.

The menu is very meat heavy (as are most in NYC these days) and there are few non-meat options.  Exceptions being the wonderfully fulfilling Bavette Cacio & Pepe and the clean Spaghetti Aglio E Olio or con Pomodoro.

Bavette Cacio & Pepe

Spaghetti  con Pomodoro.

Corn Salad With Oregano Flowers

A special of the day when we last dined was an excellent corn salad with lavender.  This mix was one of those effortlessly simple ideas that once one tastes you wonder why no one has ever done it before.  Less then exciting desserts are made up for with an amazing cheese selection.

When you are wanting a safe bet, where you are assured of taste, value and service- then Lupa is an excellent choice.

Miso Ramen

Souen Organic Ramen
212 -  388  1155
326 E 6th Street
(bet 1st – 2nd Avenues)
New York, NY, 10003

www.souen.net

Open Hours:
12:00pm – 11:00pm Mon-Fri
12:00pm –  1:00am Sat- Sun

Since 1971 Souen has been the place in NYC  for macrobiotic food; with their main restaurants in Soho and 13th St. This latest Souen is the third of the chain and, thankfully, home to a completely different menu!  It focuses on different styles of Ramen (all organic) and Japanese comfort food.  Souen 6th St. has fast become a local staple and an easy choice for quality, quantity and taste!

There are still a few macrobiotic options and the food is definatley “healthy” tasting.   If you ware gluttoning for the deep pork of a traditional ramen, try Rai Rai Ken on 10th St.  If you are looking for dishes being both flavorful and light- with the brilliant upside that you can eat as much as you want without feeling overly full or heavy- Souen 6th St. is the place.

Goma  Tofu  with black sesame sauce

Brussels Sprouts

The appetizers are quick and special.  Top tasties include the Yuba (tofu skin) marinated in kombu shiitake broth or the “Miso Yuba”  (Note: the Miso Yuba is not allways in the menu, but requestable).  The Seitan Dumplings are fulfilling and quite good, while the Kimpira – a marinated Burdock root is just crunchy happiness.  Another hidden gem is the boring sounding Maze Rice is actually a delicious side and goes very well with the Burdock Kimpira.  The House Salad is surprisingly bountiful and recommended for a bit of green in all the browns.

The specialty of Souen is being able to combine the different Ramen broths (Miso, Black Sesame, Shoyu, or Curry) with your choice of noodle( Soba, Udon, Wheat or Rice).  There is also a ramen salad and a wild seabass ramen,  and like at most Ramen places you can add toppings to your choice

There is a special Lunch menu set of a ramen pluss a side dish

The specials are usually fantastic- I’m hooked on the Brussels Sprouts!

Yuba (tofu skin) marinated in kombu shiitake broth

Miso Ramen

Japanese Pumpkin with Adzuki beans

Pad Thai Soba