Blue Ribbon Sushi Izakaya

It was an autumn evening where the weather couldn’t decide if it wanted to be warm or brisk. While walking around the Lower East Side, I struggled in layers of clothing when the evening had suddenly turned tepid. But soon I would find solace at Blue Ribbon Sushi Izakaya - a recommendation from a fellow foodie and friend. “It’s just so good,” she cooed.

I walked up the lantern-filled staircase to the restaurant, located one floor up in the Sixty LES Hotel. The design of this restaurant truly represented a modern izakaya (Japanese pub). Paintings of animals hung on brick walls, while woodwork benches and dark, maroon velvet banquettes outlined the restaurant. In the middle appeared what looked like two, long community tables. An open sushi bar was on the far side of where I sat.

The servers offered great service as they answered all my questions about the menu (and I had a lot because there were so many items on the “Specials” menu that sounded appealing).

In the end, these “Specials” intrigued me the most:  Toro Zanmai and Maine Uni Sashimi. The Toro Zanmai consisted of tuna, salmon, seabass, yellowtail and albacore belly. Maine Uni Sashimi was a whole live Maine sea urchin in its shell. Both items did not disappoint. The fattiness of each belly cut was rich in flavor, while the sea urchin’s freshness was creamy and a little briny.

In addition, I ordered “box sushi” which was is actually “stacked” sushi. The two ingredients I chose were the unagi (eel) and avocado. I learned that the primary ingredient, eel, was the topping, while the avocado was sandwiched into the rice underneath, thus requiring more rice. I thought the eel was broiled just right, without a lot of sauce to hide its flavor, and the avocado was a nice accent.

Overall, I enjoyed my dinner here. I loved the service, loved the food, loved the ambiance and decor. I would be happy return with friends. Even though it can get pricey, I thought it was worth the money.

~T~