konban NYC — Restaurant in New York

Went here with my girlfriend to have some dinner. It's actually quite tough to get a reservation at around 6-8 pm if you don't book kind of in advance so 4:45 pm had to do, booked the evening before. (15 minute grace period is granted.)

The overall ambience was calm as well as mellow and the interior looked really nice. It wasn't claustrophobic at all despite being a bit underground which was great. The host was polite and had a very friendly demeanor. I kind of wish we got a seat closer to the scenic areas.

You get started with some tomatoes and yuzu cream cheese as well as soy sauce/dashi marinade/sauce? I don't like tomatoes but this combination was seriously delicious. You also get a shot of yuzu citrus juice which was also very refreshing to start.

We got Pork Loin Katsu as well as Mamezan noodles to begin. The Katsu was definitely an elevated experience. It was very flavorful and airy/smoky and it definitely wasn't too oily despite being obviously breaded/fried. The meat itself wasn't tough/chewy but it also wasn't fat. Almost like a perfect balance. The tonkatsu sauce, wasabi and salt also really made it taste even better. Extremely fulfilling for 2.

The Mamezan noodles were definitely interesting. It had a homely warm feeling and the texture of the noodles, I'll be honest was one of the firmest, not necessarily chewy, and satisfying ones I've had the pleasure of trying. The sauce I'm still not sure if I love it or not. It has a hint of sweetness to it which was different. There's also almond butter to add additional flavor throughout the dish.

Sabazushi (Mackerel sushi) was next and I don't have to say much about this. It was simply bursting with like ten flavors and so many ingredients. It was very filling and satisfying. Super nit picky, but all I can really say is I think this should've came before the other dishes since it was technically an appetizer, a raw one at that, and the pieces, unironically were pretty large to eat in one bite. (I always love having more food though lol)

After this, I felt bored + not completely full and decided to get Niku Udon and Menchi Katsu. (GF was pretty much tapped out at this point lmao) The Udon noodles were again pretty homely and the texture of the noodles was good and satisfying. The beef, while pretty fresh, didn't really have anything remarkable about it and was a little tougher + plain than I'd like. The soup was extremely tasty with great hints of rich dashi/umami flavor. Menchi Katsu was extremely tender and flaky. The taste greatly elevated again by the Tonkatsu Sauce + Radish but for me the Wasabi Ranch was the best. I wanted to take it home but my girlfriend was gonna kill me.

The last thing was dessert and we got the Yuzu coconut shaved Sorbet. It was honestly a great refreshing finale but holy god this thing was SOUR. I couldn't stop eating it because it was so good though. Maybe it's intended to be that way as it is Yuzu/Citrus after all or my taste buds were off for this in particular.

Overall, this place is reasonably priced. You won't break the bank even if you order a million things. The only caveat I have are the very very small portions. I don't eat a lot typically but felt that I had to order several dishes in order to be satiated. Service was attentive, helpful, and polite. Restroom was also sanitary and aesthetic. Definitely...

I went with a friend of mine for dinner on Feb 12. The food was decent. We had 4 small plates between the 2 of us plus the mixed sushi. All the dishes were good, although the portions are small. Our waiter was also very helpful and polite.

Everything else about the service and atmosphere was very disappointing. We arrived at 7pm for our reservation and were told to wait 5-10 minutes for the table. The hostess at the front was very dismissive and did not apologize for the delay, even though we had a reservation. The front area of the restaurant is tiny (the whole restaurant is cramped) so we waited outside in the cold. When we came back in to wait inside, we were told to move because we were blocking the door.

After what was more like 15 minutes, they finally show us to the table. The meal was quite good and our waiter recommended some good dishes. After we finished our meal, my friend asked to order some sushi to take back for his girlfriend. We also had a bit left from one of the dishes that we were going to take back for her. Our waiter told us it was no problem and went to the kitchen to put the order in. He came back and told us that the chef did not want to make the sushi to go (clearly the chef thought himself "too good" for it) and that they had accidentally thrown out the other dish we wanted to take back for her. He apologized and told us that he would get us a fresh plate of that dish to go.

We then paid the bill, and within minutes of paying the hostess came to our table and told us we had to leave for other customers. We had only been dining for about an hour. Furthermore, after being seated 15 minutes late, we thought it was ridiculous they were kicking us out early. Before we left, I went to the washroom, just to find they had one single toilet for the whole restaurant which had a long line.

Overall, a very disappointing experience due to the service we received. Our waiter was great, but everyone else seemed to think it was your privilege to be dining at their restaurant and treated you as such. The only reason I gave it 2 stars is because of our waiter and the fact that the food was decent; not the best Japanese you'll get in NYC, especially at that price point, but also...

Really enjoyed my experience. I had low expectations coming to this restaurant because it was all over social media. I was pleasantly surprised, however.

Corn ribs - Get this dish. It is a sweet corn dish with a flavor dust that resembles the seasoning on Korean turtle chips. It was reminiscent of Mexican-style street corn -- sweet, salty, a little fatty, and nice acidic kick from the squeeze of lime.

Truffle rice - Good base to eat with the entrees but not a entree in itself; OK to skip. It was short grain rice infused with truffle oil and topped with grilled mushrooms (more than one variety). The flavors, given the nature of the dish, were muted; it was salty, nutty, and fragrant. We enjoyed this with the katsu, but it isn't a dish that I would enjoy on its own.

Tenderloin katsu - Get this dish. The meat was tender, juicy, and appropriately chewy. The exterior was perfectly fried; it was crispy-crunchy, flaky, and fresh out of the fryer (it was hot!). I've eaten a lot of katsu growing up, but this might have been my favorite one so far. The wasabi and traditional sauce paired well and was nostalgic of my childhood eating katsu at Korean bunshik diners.

Ebi katsu - Get this dish. Again, the meat was tender, juicy, and fresh. The exterior was the same as that of the tenderloin. The sauces were good: truffle salt, katsu sauce, and some sort of ranch. I took bites with different combinations of the sauces, and it was delicious.

Mazemen - Skip. This dish was not the highlight of the meal. The noodles were overcooked. The meat sauce was not flavorful; it wasn't spicy, salty, or sweet. It was bland and boring.

The service at this place was great. Our server was attentive but not intrusive. The chefs working behind the bar were welcoming. The hostess was efficient.

The vibes were great. We were seated facing the zen-like garden, which enhanced the experience. The lighting was intimate and romantic. It was a warm and cozy ambiance, perfect for a dinner date with one or two friends, a first or second date, or a light meal with family.

I am so happy this place lived up to the hype. Hope it stays...