Satisfying Sushi Cravings at Kanoyama

When I crave sushi and don’t want to break the bank, I turn to Kanoyama in East Village.  The service is fast and friendly and the restaurant is low key.  They also boast a pretty wide selection of fresh sushi plus a number of non sushi dishes and oyster bar.

East coast or west coast?  I personally prefer the sweetness of the west coast but the brinier east coast oysters are starting to grow on me.  A result of living on this side of the country for the past four years perhaps.

The shishito peppers at Kanoyama come perfectly blistered and topped with wisps of bonito flakes that move when hit with a squeeze of lemon.  As with all good shishito peppers, every few will ignite your mouth on fire, causing you to grab for the closest glass of water or sake.

The agedashi tofu when done right is a beautiful appetizer.  A crunchy exterior that is a little bit chewy exposes a tender creamy interior.  The agedashi tofu at Kanoyama doesn’t have quite the juxtaposition of textures that I like, missing points on the exterior even though the tofu itself is tender.

The shrimp dumplings in hotpot might be a special but they should really consider making it a regular dish.  A mini hotpot comes to the table with a small fire lit beneath and 6 shrimp dumplings resting inside.  The delicious dumplings are full of flavors and are ladled into individual bowls topped with a soy based ginger dressing.

The scallop roll with spicy mayo is a great way to ease into the next sushi portion of the meal.  Each piece is stuffed with creamy scallops and rolled in tobiko for that fun crunch.

And finally, the piece de resistance – the sushi and sashimi for two. An eclectic selection from the typical salmon and tuna to Spanish mackerel and ikura and sea bass, it can be hard to figure out what my favorite is among the fresh pieces.  One particular night, the Spanish mackerel stood out to me, sweet and tender, it was the perfect piece of sashimi.

A meal at Kanoyama can be wrapped up with a simple bowl of ice cream or you can venture two blocks south to find one of my favorite dessert hunts, Chikalicious.  Either way, you will be happy and full without a staggering bill for quality sushi.

Kanoyama | 175 2nd Avenue  New York, NY 10003 | http://www.kanoyama.com