Zenkichi

77 N. 6th St, B'lyn

It’s no secret that when dining out, I do extensive research on the restaurant and the menu. Before even walking in the door, I know exactly what I am going to order, what it will taste like, and how much it will cost.

As a result, InterSportsWriter has gotten into the habit of denying me my preview glory by refusing to disclose any details regarding the venue and cuisine of our outings.

Our latest excursion had me and CanseoTaris, a friend visiting from Texas, on the L train to Williamsburg. We exited the Bedford Avenue stop, where InterSportsWriter joined us. We were led to the end of the block at what appeared to be a shack. No sign, no hoards of people hanging about, just a wooden shack. Whatever was behind that wall better be good.

Arriving just in time for our dinner reservation at Zenkichi, a modern Japanese Brasserie, we followed the hostess through a maze of bamboo sticks to the second story and were seated at a semi-private dimly lit booth.

All three of us opted for the vegetarian six-course tasting menu, with CanseoTaris not wanting to feel like the odd one out in the presence of vegetarians.

The following is what graced my lips that evening in order:

Silken Tofu w/ Tomatoes

Spring Vegetable Tempura w/ Shiitake Mushrooms & Broccoli Rabe

Grilled Eggplant

Oven Roasted Japanese Mushrooms

Agedashi Goma Tofu w/ Scallops in light broth

Each of us ordered different desserts and rotated them around the table:

Chocolate Fondant w/ Raspberry Sauce

Black Sesame Ice Cream

Grapefruit Agar Gelee

Let me start by saying what stood out amongst the dishes: the Spring Vegetable Tempura and the Oven Roasted Mushrooms. Both were made to perfection and tasted superb.

What did not stand out was the eggplant (I am not a big fan in general), and the initial plate of silken tofu was a bit too silken for me (see texture of pudding). Also, the goma tofu in light broth was too watery for my liking.

As far as the desserts were concerned, the fondant was amazing; the ice cream was good; and the grapefruit gelee was gross (DISCLAIMER: I don't like grapefruit). InterSportsWriter, however, enjoyed it.

I was wrong about the modern Japanese Brassiere being good. What lay beyond that wooden wall was fantastic! For CaseoTaris, Zenkichi happened to be her first dinner in New York City. Needless to say, she was thoroughly impressed. I loved the layout of the space, despite the dim lighting and getting lost in the maze of bamboo sticks several times on my way back from the bathroom.

Meals are as much about the food as they are about the experience; this was one to remember. A Japanese eatery with a vegetarian tasting menu is practically unheard of. I’m not sure if I will be back, but I will definitely recommend this place to everyone I know. Be forewarned, they only do dinner Wednesday thru Sunday.

DAMAGE ~$48/pp tasting menu
VERDICT: Go

Oh! Taisho

9 St. Marks Place

Oh! Taisho in the heart East Village is a true Japanese establishment. One glance at the menu and you might think you are in the center of Tokyo, rather than New York City. The menu is in part kanji (Japanese characters) and part English, but there are pictures in case you get confused. Overwhelmed with the many options, I was more than happy when Sir Fancy Pants insisted on ordering for me.

With a little help from the waiter, I decided on one of their more popular sakes, and Sir Fancy Pants ordered the following for our meal:

scallops wrapped in bacon
quails eggs wrapped in bacon
chicken skin
quails eggs (for me)
tofu gratinee, no anchovies (for me)
tempura (for me)

Everything was unusual and delicious. The tempura was the best I’ve tasted in the city; the quail eggs were a first and tasted somewhat like deviled eggs; and the tofu dish was unlike anything I ever tried before. Made of silken tofu and smothered with cheese, it had a slight mustard taste to it. I am not mustard’s biggest fan by any means, but I actually liked the taste of the dish.

The server was walking around with a pitcher of what looked like hot sake, refilling mugs around the room.

I still have no idea what was going on with that place, making it all the more intriguing and worthy of a return visit. I did learn from the server “taisho” is the equivalent to owner in Japanese.


DAMAGE ~ $40
VERDICT: GO NOW!