Kumo Sushi and Lounge New City — Restaurant in Town of Clarkstown

My top-tier chum recommended Kumo Sushi for lunch last week. This adventure started off very chaotically; on my way over, she called to let me know that we'd accidentally agreed to go to another sushi place across the street with a very similar name, and re-routed me here. Let that be a lesson though - Kobe Sushi is across the street, and this is Kumo Sushi. Kobe may be very good as well, but this is the one I actually spent time in that I can endorse pretty effusively. I imagine we are not the first people to make or almost make a mistake in this regard, and won't be the last.

We stopped here right around when Kumo opened last Thursday around noon. There were a handful of people scattered throughout, and we were both a bit surprised to see most of them were businessmen - no offense to New City, but this is not an area where you expect to see a bunch of guys in three-piece suits pacing outside on their phones, but that was certainly the case here. A little dash of FiDi in Rockland County. There was plenty of seating and we were delivered to one of the spacious booths fairly close to the entrance across from the bar area.

I was pretty famished and decided to get three rolls - two "normal" ones, salmon/avocado and sweet potato, and a special one, the crazy tuna roll. Interestingly, salmon/avocado was not actually on the menu which struck me as a bit surprising given that it's a pretty mainstream option in the sushi world. My chum saw my reaction to that and asked the waitress if they could make one, which they did - I would 100% just add that to the menu. It's a popular roll for a reason, and they clearly have the ingredients for it.

The crazy tuna roll was excellent; the black pepper added some great zip to the proceedings, and the fish was fresh. Definitely the star of the show for me. The salmon/avocado and sweet potato were decent - they're usually a safe bet anywhere, but - and maybe it had something to do with being off menu? - the salmon/avocado was very short, if that makes sense. This was actually an issue I had at another New City establishment a year ago or so, New City Sushi, and it's literally the only other time I've encountered it. The pieces of the roll were stumpy, almost, and close to half the "height" of a normal piece. Initially I wanted to give a lot of credit for their decision to include the number of pieces in each roll on the menu (allows for more informed choices by the consumer), but that positive is negated somewhat if those pieces aren't of a typical size.

Since we are in the midst of the most hallowed week on the calendar, Fat Bear Week, we split a bear mousse ice cream for desert. Initially we hesitated on splitting what was clearly a kids portion, but it's a heavier item so it ended up being the perfect choice and a great palate cleanser after the sushi. Strong recommend even if we weren't celebrating portly Alaskan bears pre-hibernation.

The service was very decent; our orders were on the table within probably 10 or 15 minutes, and our waitress came by regularly. Very efficient in that regard.

This is my chum's favorite sushi spot. I'm not willing to go that far, but it's very good for what it is, especially when you consider the minimal options the further north you get...

I want there for my little brothers birthday and had a waitress that was SO beyond rude to me and my family! I ordered a Malibu Baybreeze and I took a sip and it was 80% alcohol, no juice.. I told her that I didn’t like to drink and she took it from me and didn’t even offer to make me a new one, and when we got the bill I see that I was charged for a Malibu Baybreeze when I told her that I only took a sip, you couldn’t even tell that I took a sip! She took it away from me and never even offered me a new one and yet still charge me. When I asked her to take it off the bill she told me no because once the bar makes a drink I have to pay for it whether like it or not, that is the dumbest thing I’ve ever freaking heard of, if I don’t like something it should be taken off the bill or they should offer to remake it, so I spent $11 on a drink that I didn’t even have!!! And it wasn’t even that I had to pay for it that set me off, it was the rude attitude and the way she spoke to both me and my mother that upset me, I will never come...

The food was above average for sure, but not nearly good enough to justify the price. Considering the lack of very good sushi in the area, it might have warranted returning, but we had a bad experience with spoiled fish that was not handled professionally.

We ate literally every scrap of food served except for the himachi from all the dishes, as it was rotten and had turned. I spat it out immediately (anyone would--this was not a subtle flavor nuance). When she came to clear our plates, our server did not ask why we chose to leave just that fish, so I informed her that it was rotten and suggested she inform the chef. She barely acknowledged this, rather disinterestedly cleared our table, did not apologize, did not appear to inform the chef, and certainly did not comp us the cost of the fish. I did not ask to be comped, frankly, because to me the bigger issue is ensuring they do not serve spoiled fish to other customers, but evidently that concern is not shared at this place.

Anyway, I would not go back and do...