Feeling adventurous - Omakase Sushi in NJ

April 28, 2015 8:03 AM

I'm not a sushi beginner, but not a particularly adventurous eater as far as that goes (salmon, tuna, shrimp, etc). I'd love to be able to go and eat omakase.

Preferences:
Location - NJ (north, central, south in that order), but if you have NYC suggestions, that'd be cool too
Relatively low pressure - I know the basic etiquette, but I'm obv. by no means an expert so some education by the chef is welcome
Price wise - $50pp is optimal, but can go higher.
Ambiance - I much prefer hole-in-the-wall type places to slick/fancy restaurants.

Bonus points: sake recommendations. I'm usually a cognac drinker, and prefer smoother/more flavorful booze.

posted by pyro979 to Food & Drink (5 answers total)

One way to do this is to go to any sushi joint and sit down at the counter where the chef works, and just ask for the chef's selection. If you feel like a ride up the road to Kingston NY, I found a great little place called Kyoto Sushi there.
posted by beagle at 8:28 AM on April 28, 2015

I'm not familiar with Jersey sushi places, but since you'll consider NYC, you might want to look at Tomoe. (That link is to Yelp because the restaurant website is basically non-existent.) They don't take reservations and there tends to be a line to get in, so you might have a bit of a wait, but the sushi there is quite good and it's definitely more toward the hole-in-the-wall than the slick.
posted by holborne at 8:30 AM on April 28, 2015

Ajihei in Princeton is very quirky (note the long list of caveats on the menu), but the chef previously worked at Nobu and the fish is excellent.

If you are near Edgewater, you might try Tatsumi, near the Mitsuwa Japanese minimall.
posted by apparently at 8:40 AM on April 28, 2015 [2 favorites]

I have a place that I think fits the bill perfectly: Tomo's Cuisine in East Hanover, NJ. Prices very reasonable- definitely within $50pp. Best sushi I have had outside of NYC. I thought all of the fish that I had when I went there was fresh and delicious. I even tried the uni, which I thought was very good and a lot better than some that I have had in Manhattan. This New York Times review was very accurate to my experience. On week nights, I had no problem getting a table- especially early in the evening. I think Fridays and Weekends are packed so reservations are necessary. Good luck.
posted by incolorinred at 10:07 AM on April 28, 2015 [1 favorite]

Sagami is a good sushi place down by Philly, in case the 4000 more northerly options fall through. About the best in the metropolitan area, so not really off the path, but feels low-key because (a) not in the city, and (b) the decor is traditional country Japan (e.g., lots of wood) rather than high-fashion. Large pieces, delicious, and I would trust them for Omakase -- might just call to make sure that their main chef is on duty on the night you're considering. Sitting at the bar also good, as you can develop a rapport with the chef and maybe get some choice extra bits as you're waiting. No idea how an evening off-menu would add up, though.
posted by acm at 10:13 AM on April 28, 2015 [1 favorite]