Winter Restaurant Week '09

Yesterday marked the end of Restaurant Week in New York. There were restaurants aplenty who participated in the city-wide event. Each offering three-course prix fixe lunch and/or dinner menus for a thrifty $35 per person (some were pricier depending on venue).

Restaurant Week is a two-week event held in January and July. However, with the current economic malaise, which is starting to take its toll on Manhattan's dining industry, many restaurants are extending their prix fixe menus. Check out a list of participating restaurants here.

To take advantage of the event, a group gathered and dined at Union Prime in Union Square. I opted for the raw meal, which was finished with a too rich, too heavy chocolate cake.

The carpaccio was shaved thinly and accompanied with juicy mushrooms and fragrant marjoram. The crusty bread (although a little charred) greatly complemented the dish.

For my entree, I opted for the sushi/maki combo dish with seaweed salad. The spicy tuna rolls were melt-in-your-mouth fresh. Yum!

Toro! Toro!

Natsumi is an Italian-inspired sushi house found just a few blocks above Times Square. I know, when its doors first opened I, too, took a double take at the concept. How could you bring together these two disparate cultures? In Natsumi's case, easily and elegantly.
In this easy, modern restaurant (which has a cool adjacent bar and lounge with fun cocktails), you'll find New Style Carpaccio, which features fresh raw yellowtail tuna or hamachi instead of beef. The Pizza Nuovo styles its spicy crab, tuna or seared salmon upon a bed of rice similar to an open-faced pizza. It also offers an array of sakes and wines.
Mlle. M and I had the house white, an Italian that was crisp and clean. It was a perfect pairing to our steamed edamame dumplings and sushi entrees that were too generous. Divine!
But, the highlight of the meal was the Toro our gregarious and generous table neighbours shared with us. They were so excited when ordering their Toro (they actually yelled with exceptional glee, "Toro! Toro!") that I couldn't help asking what it was. This only made them more excited and demanded I try some once it was brought out.
Toro, they explained and research confirms, is the most valued and desired sushi ingredient. It comes from the belly of the tuna, so it's fatty and succulent. There are two parts of the toro - chu-toro and o-toro. O-toro, the most prized, has a small area called the sunazuri that is marbled with thin lines of fat.
True to their word, when their beautiful platter of sushi/sashimi came, they demanded I experience a taste of toro. They watched as we sampled the fish, asking with anticipation, "It's good, right? Just melts in your mouth!" And oh boy did it!
Guess what I'm getting next time I hit a sushi joint? Toro! Toro!