15 East
New York, NY 10003
Phone: (212) 647-0015
- Price:
- $$$$
- Cross Street:
- Between Union Square West and 5th Avenue
- Directions:
- F at 14th St; 4, 5, 6; L; N, R, Q, W at 14th St-Union Sq
- Hours:
- Mon-Fri 11:45am-2pm, 6pm-10:30pm, Sat 6pm-10:30pm
Editorial Review for 15 East – by Justin Hartung
The Scene
This upscale Japanese restaurant fills the former space of its popular sister restaurant, Tocqueville, which moved down the block. A nine-chair sushi bar graces one side of the front room, and beyond lies a narrow, rectangular dining room that radiates minimalist cool, thanks to giant boxy lamps, dark slate floors and plush, armless chairs. The down-to-earth staff attends graciously to the splurging fish fanatics and neighborhood moneybags that fill the place.
The Food
The menu splits into sushi, provided by a Jewel Bako alum, and modern Japanese fare. Slabs of creamy sea eel sashimi eat like dessert, as do cotton candy-colored otoro and soft, sweet white shrimp. A hollowed-out quail's egg cradles surprisingly subtle uni parfait, while the yolk itself dots grilled white asparagus. Heartier cravings get satisfied with deeply rich Kobe beef accompanied by a buttery shitake dipping sauce, after which a light, tart passion fruit pudding makes a perfect denouement.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
What to DrinkThe sake list is extensive--and expensive. The medium-priced, dry Kaumitsuru ($16) pares well with the fish dishes. Wine drinkers fare well with a glass of crisp Muscadet ($10).
Prix Fixe MenusThere are a variety of prix fixe menus available, from a $55 omakase (chef's choice) sushi menu to a $120 seven-course tasting menu.
Lunch SpotA lunch deal includes three courses for $29.
The ExtrasRead up on Tocqueville.
User Reviews for 15 East
10/03/2008 Posted by cholomolo
I’m new to NY and wanted to try to best sushi it has to offer. Having researched NY sushi joints online, I decided to visit Yasuda or 15 East. As a purist, I considered the former. But, I wanted to support a younger chef, so I opted for the latter. I've had exceptional sushi in Tokyo, LA, Sydney, and Masa and Nobu in NY, so I had high expectations. My girl and I sat at the bar to get the full culinary experience. We felt as if we had the chef to ourselves. The one odd thing, however, was the music-- a mix of old school pop. I like that music, but it felt out of place. Chef Shimizu is dedicated, informative, fun, and talented at preparing raw fish. We started with the tai appetizer, which, I must admit, did not meet my expectations. The dipping sauce (ponzu, yuzu, and Japanese spice) was tasty. Perhaps the fish was just sliced too small (in diameter) for my personal taste; and the ice presentation seemed a bit over indulging. Then came the omakase. All were exceptional, but the highlights were as follows: Golden eye tai: I’d never had this type of snapper; it was fabulous. Mackerel: The chef accepted my challenge of getting me to like mackerel, so he presented a heavily seasoned Aji. Whatever he did to it worked. Salmon: This was a big surprise. This fish has never been my favourite, but this piece was amazing. I don’t know what it was. Sea water eel: I had read that the chef prefers this over Unagi, and I had never tried it. It was definitely unique. otoro: I love the taste of this raw, unseasoned fish. So, you can imagine my surprise when the chef grated salt & pepper on it, searing it with a torch. However, it was great and I will be ordering it again. The service was is the best I have ever had. I never notice service unless it’s particularly bad, but this was extraordinary. Although I still would love to try Yasuda one day, I am certain that the next time I splurge on dinner, it will be at 15 East.
Pros: Amazing food, best service ever, romantic,
Cons: Expensive
09/17/2008 Posted by mabcbravo
I had the same exact experience. It was 4 of us and before we even ordered they brought usan appetizer from the Kitchen and then they charged us $15 dollars for something we thought it was on the house, something we didn't even order! They also ration the soy sauce and the wasabi, they pour it onto your plate and then they ask you to give it back! I've never seen this! Long story short, our bill was $700 for 4 people... This was not worth it! The sushi was ok, but you can go somewhere else and pay half of that for better sushi. DON'T GO HERE, if you want good quality sushi, go to sushi Yasuda!
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