What else can I say about this place? It is absolutely phenomenal.
I mean, when I think about my Yelp reviews and my food reviews, I think I'm getting to a point where--no, I'm not saying I'm Michelin. No, I'm not saying I'm James Beard. But I damn sure am saying I'm Kendal Shell, and I deserve to put some praise on some of these restaurants. My word holds some damn weight in this food community.
Well... at least with my homies, family and friends.
But anyways, with that being said, I think it's officially time to introduce the Ken Certified List.
And to make the Ken Certified List, you've got to earn a Ken Certified Star. We're keeping the star system. Michelin already did the hard work there--no sense in reinventing the wheel. Business majors, remember that: you don't always have to reinvent the wheel. Take that lesson for free.
Now, back to the food.
This place gets a Ken Certified Star. No debate.
Hands down--pun absolutely intended--the best hand rolls I've ever had.
I am writing this review from an Uber leaving the restaurant. I have literally been gone for less than four minutes and I'm already thinking about when I can go back.
That's how good it was.
Everything tasted unbelievably fresh. The rice was right. The textures were right. The temperatures were right. The balance of every roll was right. I would've thought I was in Tokyo.
Now, pardon my ignorance because I don't even know if Tokyo is known specifically for hand rolls like this, but you get what the hell I'm saying.
It tasted THAT fresh.
And I'm honestly a little confused because I didn't even know you could make a hand roll taste this good.
My flight went like this:
Spicy Crab Dynamite
First roll out of the gate, and immediately I knew we had a problem.
The creamy crab mixture was perfectly spicy, perfectly seasoned and incredibly fresh. Rich without being heavy, with just enough heat to wake everything up without overpowering the crab.
My immediate thought was: How the hell do we go up from here?
There's no way the next one is better.
Narrator: The next one was better.
Scallop
WHEW.
Question answered quickly.
Yes. Apparently, it does continue to get better.
From a texture standpoint, this is damn near the definition of an A1 hand roll. The scallop was delicate, buttery and ridiculously fresh, and everything surrounding it complemented it instead of competing with it.
Pound for pound, this might be one of the best hand rolls on Earth.
And yes, I understand how ridiculous that statement is.
I said what I said.
Bravo.
Lobster
This was the one I had been waiting on.
The lobster roll came out slightly warmer than the others, which caught me off guard for about half a second--and then I took a bite.
Impeccable.
The lobster still tasted sweet and fresh, and the warmth actually gave the roll a completely different personality from the first two. After hyping this one up in my head before it ever touched the table, somehow it still didn't disappoint.
That's hard to do.
Crispy Fish
And finally, the closer.
The crispy fish hand roll.
Let me explain this one in terms everybody can understand:
This was better than any crispy fish taco I've ever had.
And I have eaten a LOT of great fish tacos.
You essentially have a lot of the same flavor ideas--crispy fish, fresh greens, creamy sauce--but putting them into this perfectly constructed hand roll completely changed the experience.
The crunch of the fish against the soft rice and crisp nori was already enough. Then the wasabi mayo came through with that little hit of heat, while the lettuce added freshness and crunch.
Simple ingredients. Perfect execution.
That might actually be the biggest compliment I can give this restaurant. Nothing felt like it was trying too hard. There weren't 47 ingredients fighting for attention. It was just incredibly fresh seafood, thoughtful combinations, great textures and damn near flawless execution.
And that's when food gets special.
This place has moved very swiftly into the conversation for my favorite restaurant in New York City. Honestly, it might already be there.
Four hand rolls.
Not one miss.
I walked in wanting dinner and walked out questioning why I don't live closer to the Pacific Ocean.
This restaurant has me considering moving to Asia to change my life.
KEN CERTIFIED has been awarded to Nami Nori.
And considering I invented the award about four minutes ago, I can confidently tell you this is one of the highest honors in food. read more