Aburiya Kinnosuke

Got some great eats in NYC. Prior to watching the Japanese films at the Asian Film Festival, we got ourselves in the mood by sampling the menu at Aburiya Kinnosuke in Midtown Manhattan. This place is the real deal. Traditional and authentic to the point where you feel like you're stepping into a restaurant in Japan. They offer beautifully presented yet straightforward food that you don't usually see outside of Japan - such as my wife's order of Sweetfish (Ayu), a riverfish cooked lightly on a stick. Definitely not the pretentious fare at Morimoto or Nobu. Tables and booths were populated by Japanese businessmen or salarymen in suits conversing with the staff in Japanese. English speakers are in the minority. I recommend sitting at the counter where you get an up close view of the skilled chefs displaying their artistry. It was very entertaining. Only protective glass separated us from our food cooking on the traditional brick and stone stoves. The quality of food matched its beautiful presentation. I rarely get excited by a salad, but their mushroom/seaweed/cucumber salad was light yet incredibly tasty. My eel hotpot deliciously melted in my mouth. The menu is a little pricey (especially the drinks) but the food and the total experience made it worth the while.