15 East. Location: Union Square. 15th St. & 5th Ave. Scene: Calm. Drab. Sushi Bar. Food: Upscale Sushi. Japanese Sea Scallops. Duck Soba. Omakase. Sea Eel.
Chek Recs:
- Taj Sashimi (Japanese Snapper)
- Tuna Roll (above)
15 East is a place I’ve had on my list since I’d been told it serves fish as fresh as the infamous Sushi Yasuda. If you’re walking in without a res, the wait can get long. The only cool thing about 15 East not having a bar is that they send you to the sister restaurant next door (which is weirdly French) called Tocqueville to order a drink while you wait. I hate to say it, but unfortunately, I was a little disappointed with 15 East. The environment seems sort of uptight and “strict”…if you will. However, the service is very fine and professional. Surprisingly, the amberjack sashimi was not as good as Spasso’s (see review here), but I did love the Taj. Overall, they have a great sushi selection, and the fish is fresh! The menu is high-end, skipping all the “special” rolls that restaurants usually create to disguise their quality of fish such as “dynamite” and “volcano” rolls. The scene is better for a business dinner, especially when someone else is paying for the $5 per sashimi pieces you order. Maybe I should have just given in and ordered the recommended $75 tuna flight of five different cuts of tuna…
