NYC — Spring 2016: Aburiya Kinnosuke

While I was technically on vacation, the main purpose of our NYC trip this time around was to finally meet my brother's fiancée's parents. They got engaged last fall and our families had yet to meet, and they decided that it was important for all of us to meet in person before their wedding next year. To commemorate this, my brother decided to have our official meet-up at Aburiya Kinnosuke, an upscale Japanese izakaya that specializes in robata grilling.

Housemade cold tofu
Grilled duck breast with ponzu
Fresh sashimi: Salmon, tuna, sea bass, amberjack, and bluefin tuna
Grilled fresh bamboo shoots with tobiko
Steamed fresh sea bream with tofu and snow peas in soy sauce
Sweet corn tempura
Japanese omelette rolls with sweet soy sauce
Chicken meatballs stuffed with asparagus
Wagyu beef with shiitake mushrooms
Steamed Japanese rice with red snapper and roasted seaweed
Black sesame custard, crème brûlée with vanilla ice cream, and matcha tiramisu with vanilla ice cream
We decided to indulge in a full tasting menu, which changes day-to-day so there are no set courses, nor are the dishes written anywhere. The server shows you the prepared dish, explains what it is and how it is cooked, and then brings it back to the kitchen where it is then served into individual portions. Highlights for me were the bluefin tuna sashimi (the softest, plushest, most flavourful sashimi I have ever had the pleasure of eating), the corn tempura (imagine strips of fresh sweet corn, lightly battered and deep-fried to golden perfection — I've never seen corn prepared this way, and it is delightful), the Wagyu beef (cooked on little hot plates in front of you, it's the most tender, melt-in-your-mouth meat I have ever eaten), and the black sesame custard (soft, dense, creamy, intensely flavoured, and positively dreamy). It was truly one of the most unique meals I've ever eaten; there aren't a lot of Japanese izakayas that serve full, super high-quality tasting menus, especially ones that truly understand the art of marrying flavours and textures. I cannot recommend this place enough. If you love authentic Japanese food but want something more interesting than the typical sushi offerings, this place is a must-visit. I only wish Toronto had something like this.

Aburiya Kinnosuke 213 E 45th Street New York, NY 10017 (212) 867-5454