Return of Sushi at Bistro 33

Halloween is coming, and with that, so is a special sushi resurgence at Bistro 33.  For those of you who've lived in the nabe for a while, you'll remember that sushi used to be a staple at Bistro 33, but the menu has since then been taken over by other, more classical bistro fare.  I remember those sushi days well and always loved their inventive house rolls, which were prepared with a lot of thought and regard for ingredients.

If you come in during Halloween next week, you can enjoy sushi and sake all night long.  The extravaganza starts at 5:30 p.m. and goes on all night - come in costume and get your sush on!

Bistro 33 - 19-33 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105

718.721.1933

N/Q Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

www.bistro33nyc.com

Yummy Lunch Special at Sakura Sushi

I passed by the good ol' standy Sakura sushi the other day and noticed their enticing lunch special.  With Watawa still under expansion, I imagine that Sakura has been capitalizing on that and capturing some new business.  Although it's pretty under the radar, the food is always fresh and tasty and the prices are quite competitive.  If you haven't yet tried them, their lunch special presents a good opportunity.  Let me try to entice you...

Sakura Sushi Lunch Special - Weekdays from 11:00 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Served with soup and salad

Any 2 rolls...$7
Any 3 rolls...$10
Sushi lunch...$10.50
Sashimi lunch...$12.50
Sizzling Teriyaki...$7.50
Bento box (with shumai, California roll and rice)...$9.50 

Sakura Japanese Cuisine - 35-15 Ditmars Blvd, Astoria, NY 11105
718.777.2188
N/Q Train to Ditmars Blvd (last stop)

Junko Sushi Opens

About a month ago, I mentioned the upcoming arrival of a new sushi restaurant on Broadway and 33rd street called Junko Sushi.  Well, I've been watching it for a while and just recently noticed that it's fully functioning.  Walking by today, I noticed a nice crowd inside, and for a new restaurant it seemed to be doing well.

I grabbed a menu and liked what I saw - innovative dishes that span beyond just traditional sushi.  There are tons of inventive specialty rolls with a cool selection of cold and hot apps that almost seem tapas like.  Check out the sampling of the menu below, and prepare to drool.

Cold Appetizers:
Tuna or Salmon Dumpling - Avocado, wasabi caviar, scallion wrapped with tuna or salmon served with scallion truffle oil and wasabi vinaigrette sauce...$9.50

Seafood Ceviche - Tuna, salmon, blue crab, fluke, shrimp served with yuzu vinaigrette sauce...$10

Yellowtail Jalapeno...$9.50

Hot Appetizers:
Agetashi Tofu - Deep fried bean curd with tempura sauce...$4.50

Chilean Sea Bass Spring Roll - Chilean sea bass, scallop, shrimp & vegetable wrapped in crispy spring roll served with passion fruit & peanut lime vinaigrette sauce...$7.95

Thai Crab Cake - Pan-fried blue crab cake served with orange curry & passion fruit sauce...$8.95

Lobster Ravioli - Fresh lobster, scallop, shrimp & cream cheese served with cilantro-soy lime sauce...$8.95

Junko's Specialty Rolls:
Panko Crusted Tuna - Tuna with mixed greens wrapped with lightly fried panko served with chef's special sauce...$13.95

Sweetie - Crunchy spice salmon & avodado topped with salmon, served with spicy mayo sauce...$11.95

Junko's Roll - Spicy tuna, blue crab, lobster, eel & avocado topped with mango, kingcrab served with Thai pomelo, eel & raspberry sauce...$15.95

Broadway Roll - Tuna & avocado topped with salmon, crunchy seaweed salad & mix caviar served with spicy mayo and eel sauce...$14.95

Entrees:
Hot & Spicy Shrimp...$15.95

Conch with XO Sauce...$18.95

Seafood Delight with Cashews...$18.95

Pan Seared Tuna Soba...$18.95

Nabeyaki Udon - Chicken & egg udon noodle soup with two tempura shrimp on the side...$9.95

Yaki Udon - Stir-fried udon noodle with chicken, shrimp, vegetable & egg...$9.95

Junko Sushi -33-02 Broadway, Astoria NY 11106
718.777.1588
N/Q Train to Broadway

JJ’s - Revisiting an Old Gem

After a very long hiatus, I returned back to JJ’s for a nice farewell dinner for friends, Harlan and Rachel, together with Meg and Tom. We’ve all been dying to go back and actually Meg and Tom hadn’t yet been so they were extra excited to try this Asian fusion eatery. Even though not everything we had was new, it was wonderful to re-order some of the old favorites we knew and loved.

Seaweed Salad – I’ve had this appetizer many a times in other Asian restaurants, but not yet at JJ’s. It was a perfect starter that was light, refreshing and provided nice toothsomeness with each bite. Sesame seeds were sprinkled throughout, which added yet another crunchy element.

Tuna Belly Special – A special appetizer of the day, we were intrigued to try it and loved it. Due to its rare preparation, you really tasted the quality of the fish that was dressed with a lovely, miso –based sauce and topped with Asian spices. This was definitely more for adventurous foodies, but Tom was a good sport by digging in and appreciating it for the delicacy it was.

Yellowtail Special – Another interesting starter dish, this one was also on the semi-raw side and dressed with a similar sauce as the tuna belly. The most interesting element of the dish were the accoutrements including thin, crunchy apple slices, and sprouts. Everyone at the table remarked at how spectacular and different it was, further proving that specials are definitely worth trying here.

Pork Gyoza – I’ve had this here before but was excited to get it again because quite frankly, who doesn’t love a yummy pork dumpling?! The consensus about this dish was that it was aaawesome. A little crunchy and well done on the outside, the inside was soft and moist, packed with deliciously flavorful pork. We dipped each piece in soy sauce and savored each bite.

Edamame Potstickers – This is the dish that JJ’s is known for and we couldn’t not get it. Soft, gooey dumplings dressed with creamy edamame sauce, their inside also boasted this lovely filling. I happened to enjoy them, but some of my dining companions thought they weren’t up to snuff. The only criticism I’d have is that the dumpling dough could’ve been a little firmer.

Sushi Assortment – This was the piece-de-resistance of our meal, as we got an assortment of four different types of sushi and a couple of sashimi pieces too. Out of the rich variety, my favorites were the sweet potato tempura roll and the spicy yellowtail roll. I loved the former because of its sweet decadence, and the fried aspect also ramped up the indulgence factor. In terms of the yellowtail, once again the fish was of great quality and so fresh. I also loved the extra texture from the fish eggs on the outside of the roll – just fantastic!

Green Tea Crepe – As if we didn’t have enough food, we decided to go all way and get dessert. Well actually I just had a bite of Meg and Tom’s green tea crepe, but still, I couldn’t believe I even had room for that. This was one of the more interesting dishes, as I’ve never seen a crepe look like a cake. Made up of many, many layers of extra thin, green tea crepes, it was stacked and then cut into a triangular cake-like piece. I took a bite and really enjoyed its gentle, delicate flavor, further enhancing that with good quality vanilla ice cream that came on the side.

Service and Cost:
Our server was wonderful and very very quick. He made some nice recommendations when we needed them and did a good job of keeping us satisfied. I liked that he poured our sake each time and explained a little bit about the variety we were drinking. He was fast with the check too, yet didn’t make us feel rushed at all, despite the restaurant being pretty crowded on a Friday night.

Costs continue to be very moderate here, and for the elaborate meal I just described, we paid an (drumroll…) astonishing $25 including tax and tip.

3 Mmmms

JJ’s - 37-05 31st Avenue, Astoria NY 11103
718.626.8888
N/Q Train to Broadway
www.jjsfusion.com

Junko Sushi Replaces Moonstruck Diner

Not even a year into their opening, the very short lived Moonstruck Diner is being replaced.  I noticed its successor the other day when hanging out in the nabe with Meg and Tom.  All three of us noticed the big sign on the facade that said "Junko Sushi coming soon."

I like the sign - it's cheerful and funky and indicates that this new sushi place may be promising.  A good sushi option in the Broadway neck of the woods is needed, with other Asian alternatives in sight such as Thai, but not really a stand-out sushi resto.  Some of you may know Bai Sushi, closer to Steinway, which is generally good but not an absolute must.  We'll see what this newcomer brings, and in the meantime, if you know of its specific plans to open, feel free to holler. 

Junko Sushi -33-02 Broadway, Astoria NY 11106
OPENING SOON
N/Q Train to Broadway