Yamada — Restaurant in New York

Yamada and Yafada should come ova. Hahaha!

K, jokes aside, I celebrated a special birthday here with my favorite people in the world and couldn't have asked for a more perfect place. Actually, the place was a surprise. But they chose well. They chose, very, very well.

You can read about my specific kaiseki menu below*, but if you know kaiseki, you know any given meal changes with the season and its produce, so take everything with a grain of shio.

I'll cut to the chase and explain why Yamada is probably the best kaiseki in NYC now, why it's five-star-worthy, and why you should come here before the eyeroll-inducing "content creators" and the sheep who follow them destroy this place with a post:

The entrance is in a secret but lovely alley/throughway on a side street of Chinatown. When I say lovely, I mean lovely: warm wood paneling and soft light line one side of the alley, and it wouldn't be out of place in most Japanese cities.

The service is attentive, warm and friendly without being overly obsequious (bleh) or overly cold (double bleh).

Speaking of friendly, Chef Isao Yamada himself comes across as quite the warm personal himself. Considering his pedigree--being one of the first to introduce kaiseki to NYC--that's almost surprising. But he was really lovely to us and all the other diners.

At $300pp, Yamada isn't the most affordable kaiseki option in the city--but the menu we had included several unique, luxury or rare ingredients that absolutely justified the price--among them: shizuoka melon (retails for $120 per melon, and everyone got a big slice with dessert), kimone (uncommon herb) and barafu (uncommon edible succulent).

Each course perfectly showcased the best of the season's bounty, the diversity of Japanese cuisine, the creativity of Yamada's cooking, and the artistic skills of his staff. All this to say: the dishes were delicious, nutritious and super 'grammable.

..............................................................................................................

Kaiseki Menu - 05/03/2025

Sakizuke - Asparagus tofu, Hokkaido bafun uni, trout caviar Chawanmushi - Steamed abalone, Mediterranean red shrimp, dried scallop dashi Otsukuri - Seasonal sashimi, special squid Otoro - Kyushu wild bluefin fatty tuna Owan - Maine lobster mousse, zucchini blossom, suzuki seabass, white asparagus, smoked bonito broth Hassun - Soft shell crab tempura in potato mousse, shiso-wrapped daikon and egg, agedashi tofu, monkfish liver and scallop, mountain yam, octopus and octopus eggs Akamutsu - Rosy seabass, wild garlic green puree Wagyu - Sakura leaf-aged A5 wagyu a la Eda Farm (one of the few organic Japanese wagyu farms in the world) Donabe - Alaskan king crab, ikura, ramps, rice Dessert I / Palate Cleanser - Amazake ice-cream with shizuoka melon Dessert II: Wagashi (peach-filled mochi), gold-flecked peach jelly, matcha and hojicha tiramisu Usucha - Isuzu Kyoto uji matcha Take-home gift: Two kinds of...

The experience was world class in every way I can think of.

The food was thoughtful and meticulously prepared using ultra high quality ingredients from Japan (uni, assorted seasonal sashimi, toro, wagyu, muskmelon, strawberry, matcha). The dishes seemed fairly traditional but were still fun and playful. Octopus roe and sansho leaves are two surprises that caught me off guard, in a good way.

The sommelier helped elevate the meal with great pairings, starting with sake. I was interested in trying whisky from the extinct Karuizawa distillery, and his perfect advice was to enjoy it with the wagyu course.

Service overall was so good that I didn’t really think about it. The staff seemed to know that I had a question for them before I knew. Pacing and presentation were basically perfect and there was always something to appreciate in each moment.

The food, drink, tableware, and decor all have the character of being simple and elegant at first glance but nuanced and sophisticated given a closer look. The wooden dining counter feels especially nice...

Sorry had to be the person, but did not try the food and never will. A $300 Japanese tasting menu in Chinatown is just absurd. If you want to spend that kind of money, go to the West Village. As for Chinatown, from my memories, it has always been a place to enjoy a meal with friends and family, where young and old can afford a good decent meal without breaking the bank. This sad state of gentrification of Chinatown (locals, mom and pop businesses being pushed out) and millennials shilling $10 for a drink at the next new boba shop is a sad testament of the neighborhood and society. Support the real local businesses that make the neighborhood, not some 1%’er ...