Zenkichi
"There's no sign on the wood-paneled exterior, just a light over the door... Inside lies a twisting maze of dark-wood booths that resemble private dining cars on a train. Billyburg couples can get cozy by closing the blinds, their only connection to the outside world a call button to summon the waitress," writes Justin Hartung for Citysearch. Mike Peed, writing for the New Yorker, notes, "One night, over the soft hum of jazz standards, the only evidence of other patrons was the not so faint sounds of a make-out session. Two unsuspecting guys ('Wanna grab a bite tonight? Hit that new Japanese place?') were left to fidget in their chamber and chat uncomfortably about ex-girlfriends."
Zenkichi is definitely romantic, and for special occasions, we love their $48 omakase menu, a tasting menu that changes every 5 weeks — but you can also order small plates here. Kate Appleton for New York magazine describes some of the seasonal specialties: "Heavenly pork kakuni is slow cooked over three days to achieve a puddinglike consistency.... Even a basic dish like the grilled rice ball gets carefully worked over; the charred outer shell sits in piping-hot shiso sauce with bitter scallions and rich, woody mushrooms."
Restaurant Girl says, "There's a magnificent sake list, with more than 40 offerings by the glass, not to be missed." And blogger Salli Vates enjoyed a sake flight: "Our sakes were arranged in order of sweetness, and contained notes of dark chocolate, citrus and cantaloupe." For dessert, Jenn Sit of Serious Eats recommends the black sesame mousse: "The mousse was so rich and thick, it could have been ice cream and the intense black sesame flavor brought me right back to the bowls of black sesame dumplings in warm sugar water my grandma used to make me as a kid." How would you rate this place?
Reviews (9)
SnarkSlope wrote a review on February 25, 2009 12:06 PM
Nice to see they've decided to go with a construction fence aesthetic. Very contextual.
dirty_hipster wrote a review on February 25, 2009 12:19 PM
I view this place as more of a sake bar that happens to have decent, inexpensive food. Great date spot - the ambiance and service cannot be beat. The booths on the 3rd level are totally private - which could come in handy ha.
NsPx wrote a review on February 25, 2009 12:28 PM
Ate here about 6 months ago - some of the food was very good, but the whole "blinds" thing almost killed me. I swear the waitresses must have raised and lowered the blinds 30 or 40 times during our meal, it was like a comedy routine.
gkw wrote a review on February 25, 2009 12:43 PM
this place is delicious! but the process is slow, so don't go unless you want a long experience. thanks for reminding me of its existence!
jop wrote a review on February 25, 2009 5:03 PM
Very very good and very very slow in a drawn out, indulgent sort of way - not in a tapping your foot and looking for your waiter sort of way but in the sipping sake and enjoying conversation kind of way. Basically, go with good company...not a recommended spot for a blind date.
thewis wrote a review on February 25, 2009 8:12 PM
it's a good date restaurant or with a few good friends.
Miss Muffett wrote a review on February 25, 2009 8:58 PM
Very romantic - my hubby once took me there as a surprise and I felt like we had entered some private 1950s Japanese noir film. I remember the food as being unusual - not your typical Japanese restaurant picks - and very interesting and good.
qpixley wrote a review on April 28, 2009 2:47 PM
I love Zenkichi -- maybe the whole privacy blinds thing is a bit much, but it sure makes for an excellent date night. It is not your typical Japanese restaurant fare, food is served tapas-style. We always order the pork belly, and the mushrooms if they have it.
housieQ wrote a review on November 11, 2009 12:53 AM
This place reminds me of the tiny restaurants tucked inside the pencil buildings in Tokyo. From the outside you will never expect such decor in the inside. The service is also very Japanese ...slow....but the wide selection of sake and the quality of the ingredients makes it worth the wait.
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