Boy, has 2015 been quite a year for Manhattan Digest! We passed our millionth view mark in November, got to interview some huge stars and of course we reviewed what is the best of the best in Manhattan! This is about digesting Manhattan, isn’t it? So after a stellar year, and some pretty stellar places that we have sampled and enjoyed, we here at Manhattan Digest are giving you the best of the best from what we ate in 2015. Devour, check in, and be amazed by where you should stop into for the 2016 calendar year and beyond.
[Read more…] about Manhattan Digest’s Best of Food For 2016
sushi dojo
Dojo Izakaya- Japanese Meets Casual Meets Delicious
When it comes to living in New York City, the varieties of cuisines you can try and devour run plenty from one palette to the next. One type of cuisine that seems to run supreme throughout is Japanese, which was evidenced when I reviewed the beautiful & thought provoking Sushi Dojo a while back for this site (you can check that review here). I recently discovered that Sushi Dojo has a sister restaurant located in the Lower East Side as well called Dojo Izakaya. Dojo, which you can find on Avenue B and East 3rd, boasts a more casual dining experience compared to the elegant side that is Sushi Dojo.
Dojo Izakaya is a small and cozy space that packs a ton of really incredible food amenities that would work for anyone who loves Japanese food and will not hurt your wallet as all of the food is priced beyond reasonable (most of it is $10 and under). What’s even better is that you really get what you are paying for as the food is expertly prepared in small dishes that are great to be shared with your friends and family.
Some of the highlights for me that I highly recommend anyone trying upon their next visit to Dojo Izakaya include their Gobo Chips in the vegetable section of the menu. Gobo chips are essentially fried Burdock root with a spicy cod mayo. The Burdock root is tender and juicy with how it is cooked and the spicy cod mayo really adds such a delicious blend of heat to the Burdock itself that it really makes for a great starter course.
In their Kushiyaki section, otherwise known as skewers, I would recommend getting their Bacon Wrapped Asparagus, Kalbi (beef short rib) and Guyton (beef tongue) as all are expertly spiced and seasons and cooked very well. My favorite was the asparagus as quite frankly you can’t go wrong when anything is bacon wrapped. Completely delicious. Their meat section also has a great variety of choices, one being the Gyozo (pork dumplings in a spicy broth). Normally with pork dumplings I get them steamed with a side of soy sauce, however having these marinade in the spicy broth really elevated the flavor of the Gyozo itself, making it a really wonderful dish. The Buta Kakuni (Braised Pork Belly) was my favorite dish of the night as it was perfectly cooked and tasted stupendously. What is great is that if you order all of these together and share it with a friend, the cost per person before tax and tip would be $15 per. Easy and great spend in my opinion!
They also have a wonderful line of Sakes and drinks available for your pleasure. For more information on the menu and Dojo Izakaya, check out their official site.
Happy Eating Everyone!
Sushi Dojo NYC Rises Above The Rest
Sure, there are a bajillion places you can go in New York City to have Sushi. So when it comes time to pick out which one is the best and most authentic of the bunch, narrowing it down can be a really tough decision for all you new Yorkers out there. So let me make this one easy- Sushi Dojo on 110 1st Avenue in the East Village.
Executive Chef and prospective partner David Bouhadana, 27, has trained with Iron Chef Morimoto, has worked in some of New York’s top establishments such as Hatsuhana, and has trained for years in Japan. This Florida-raised man fell in love with Japanese culture, language, and cuisine while he was working as a bus boy. “I didn’t find sushi, sushi found me,” said Chef Bouhadana. “I started at 18 under my first master in Florida where I accidentally found myself in the kitchen.” Upon presenting his idea to the investors, David was hired as the Executive Chef for the restaurant and was given the unique opportunity to become a prospective partner in the future.
The term “dojo” is the Japanese word for education, and Sushi Dojo’s atmosphere is complimentary to an educational experience where customers can try new things. Sushi Dojo’s team of chefs consists of professional Japanese individuals who have trained for years and are eager to make every customer feel like their apprentice by sharing knowledge, recommendations, and sushi delicacies.
“Many individuals feel nervous and uncomfortable to try new things due to a lack of knowledge or negative experiences that they have had in the past,” said Chef Bouhadana. “At Dojo we encourage our customers to ask questions and try new things. We want them to learn by doing that and having the most memorable experience by dining in our restaurant.”
As a first time customer, I noticed that the look and feel of the place was quite warm and inviting and had an overall great atmosphere to it. David as well as the waiter and hostess were kind and engaging and made the whole experience a delight for me and my friend. Some of the stand out dishes in my opinion was the Edamame and Nashu Nibitashi (Lightly fried eggplant marinated in Dashi) for the cold plates, the Pork Belly for the appetizers, and any and all of the sushi that is freshly made by David and his team (my personal favorite was the Ikura otherwise known as Salmon Roe. Yum!)
Something to note here is that you won’t be able to order something like a California Roll, as this place pries itself on being traditional and focusing on high quality delicacies. This is definitely something that you would want to try out in the near future if you are visiting Manhattan or already live here. So stop fussing over which sushi place to go to and take the subway down to The East Village and try out Sushi Dojo for yourself. For more information, log on to their official website.