experiencing sushi at its best

Place: Blue Ribbon Sushi
Location: 119 Sullivan Street (between Prince St and Spring St)
Website: http://www.blueribbonrestaurants.com/rests_sushi_man_main.htm

Not located in the busiest area, low key, traditional yet trendy, Blue Ribbon is a favorite for celebrities some say.  I had the opportunity to go before setting off for a two week trip to Kenya as an au revoir dinner.  At an off-site location in SOHO, you have to walk down the steps to the foyer, where patrons wait to be seated but since we had an early reservation, the waitress immediately escorted us to our seats.

The sushi bar is the first thing you see turning left from the entrance to the seating area.  It’s dark but welcoming with a warm light setting and the seats are cozily sized.  Blue Ribbon Sushi has traditional Japanese wooden decor and is very slightly trendy from its sleekness and aura but keeps the integrity of its cuisine.

We started with the Ebi Shumai and ordered the Toshi’s Choice per person for our entrees.  The Toshi’s Choice is a platter with an assortment of sashimi and sushi chosen by the chef.   Gene likes the Dragon Roll, so we requested the roll to be included with the platter – they were happy to oblige.  Along with the platters we ordered two choices of dry sake.  I’ve never seen a sake list so extensive.

I was pleasantly surprised by the Ebi Shumai because I’m personally not a huge fan of the appetizer.  The Toshi’s Choice platter was beautiful in taste and presentation.  It almost looked like a miniature stage with an orchestra of sashimi and sushi.  The fish were at its best - the perfect temperature, texture, freshness, and cut.  The Dragon Roll literally melts in your mouth because the chef only uses avocadoes at that particular level of ripeness.

The waitress poured the two cold sakes into wooden boxes until it overflowed onto its carrying plate.  They were as delicious as alcohol can taste.  And its complement to the sushi was impeccable.  The sakes were at very specific temperatures because they were neither cold nor lukewarm.  It is no wonder why Blue Ribbon is known for their award-winning Sake list.

We ended our dinner with the Green Tea Creme Brulee.  It was a perfect creme brulee, just the right amount of sweetness and fluff, with a slight taste of bitterness from the green tea flavor.  It closed our sushi meal very elegantly.  I would recommend Blue Ribbon over Nobu any day.

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