Kai

I have 200+ Unilocal bookmarks of Japanese restaurants I’d like to try. sadly, this one I will never be able to visit. they closed yesterday. as in Friday, April 9.
Five-​stars. for the unfilled fantasy that is my New York Japanese food cravings. *sob*

Whenever I travel to New York, I time my flight to get Kai for the Kaiseki lunch. It’s closer than Kyoto and as good as (almost) anything you’ll find there.
It’s highly refined and expertly prepared. I’ve never had something served that wasn’t perfect. To give you an idea of how meticulous they are — the tofu is made in house.
It’s very expensive as Japanese food of this type is… but you can’t find this level food on every corner.

Americanized Kaiseki for UE residents is what me and my friends decided after second try. First time I didn’t read the small writing «Kaiseki», when I saw the food I was like «WHAT!?» I asked the waitress and she whispered to me they are «kaiseki». ehhhh.
Service: VERY Japanese. Very proper, very sincere, very formal.
Food: They are very properly prepared. Picture perfect and that’s what Kaiseki is. As far as taste concerend, I felt it needed a little more «kick». You are there to enjoy the look of the food, not the taste. Very zen.
Most customer you see are locals — Upper East grey hair Brooks brother catalog cut out types.
Price: when I saw the bill I almost jumped. Price of sake is almost outrageous. You pay for the location, I guess. Same name brand glass of sake here was almost equal to a big bottle of sake bought from store like Mitsuwa, get the idea?

Housed right above the ITOen shop on Madison Ave., this small restaurant is one of the few places that serve o-​kaiseki style meals in NYC. I’ve only been here for the lunch specials, which are a great bargain. (if you call $ 45 a bargain) Plus, there’s a big range to choose from. I usually go for the KAI bento, which includes some sashimi, a few stewed meats, vegetables and dessert. The tastes are subtle, but by no means bland. Of course the tea served with the meal is outstanding.
When I get a hankering for some o-​kaiseki style eating, I usually come here. If you can’t catch a flight to Kyoto, where they serve some of the most awesome kaiseki for a fraction of the price, then this is a great place to eat.

still one of the best omakasa in town. and it comes with kagoshima beef — can you believe that its even tastier than mishima beef? sashimi superb. too many dishes to name — just get the omakasa. the plum wine is amazing — hand made and aged for one year in their cellar. i was coaxed into to trying the caramel treat — wow that is the best candy i’ve ever had in my life.

Delicious, pleasant service, truly exceptional. Expensive, but priced right.

OMG!!! I am a tea-​snob and I adore this place. Most Japanese restaurants in NYC sacrafice authenticiy in favor of the Spicy-​crunchy-​mayonaise-​eel sauce-​tempura flake-​fake crab bullshit that people have come to expect.
You don’t and won’t get that here.
What you will get is a perfectly simplictic Bento from heaven. Clear soups that sing with Umame flavor and the teas are out of this world.
Lovely sweets chock full of red-​bean and ginger for dessert, too.
LOVE IT!!!

The best Japanese food I’ve had in New York. No comparison.
I’ve only been here on special occasions and on the company dollar (yen), so I admit the prices are on the high side. But it’s well worth the treat if you’re looking to experience the true art of Japanese kaiseki.

Kai (Satomi Lore, Masatsugu Kawai) — 2008 Joy of Sake Event. Their featured dish was Ham & Spinach Panade — round flaky ball, was quite mushy, didn’t enjoy this
Pics:

Siked I was about Kai after viewing their tasting menu. Ever had a salt dome infused black cod for your entrée? I can’t say I ever had, except for at Kai, the Japanese restaurant that sits on top of the Ito En tea shoppe in the UWS.
Well, as interesting as the menu was, it was more glam than good. Don’t get me wrong; the sashimi was as fresh as ever and presented very creatively. Some however; didn’t make the mark such as a cold eggplant implanted in gelatin. I just didn’t get how it fit or how anyone thought this tasted … good.
The one and only cocktail on their menu is a must order. It is light and fruity with granita and a light sake. Most of their dishes are somewhat simple, clean and fresh. Some of it is impressive, especially the salt dome cod that I cracked myself. The fish was good but the mushrooms underneath did absolutely nothing for me. There were turn offs and turn ons… I can forget the turnoffs, specifically the waiter in training and the 2 kids that were screaming.
Ever heard of checking Unilocal to see if this place is kid-​friendly? I guess not. 2 young kids that throw and yell don’t exactly fit in the serene, elegant surrounding of Kai. Just a tip to those tempted to bring their kids here. Please don’t. I want to crack my salt dome in peace.

The space is very hushed and the décor is all Japanese minimalist w/​charming little potted sod on the tables. The menu gives you the choice from 3 prix fixe. I’ve been twice and had the 10-​course, forbiddingly called the «Iron Goddess», after a type of tea.
Some of the courses are set, while 2 or 3 give you the choice. It would take pages to describe ea. course individually. Everything was precisely portioned, balanced in flavor, freshly made. The entrees presented in a salt dome (it changes seasonally) are always dramatic. The sauce and vegetables from one visit were excellent, though the lobster itself was a bit overdone. Still, everything before & after was delicious. A few of the courses were paired with a different tea, as you would with wine. You can also add sake to the meal.
At the end, we were all amazed at our endurance to last the whole meal. The staff was v. accommodating and knowledgeable about the teas and sake. Definitely a place for special dates or an expense account dinner.

I went to this restaurant when it first opened. It is small place… but if you appreciate kaiseki cusine you love it. Great polite service. Food is outstanding… prices are high though.

So I thought I had an excellent experience at Heat in Chicago.
However, Kai was an absolutely amazing experience that blew Heat out of the water. A truly special experience, that I loved.
Located above Ito En tea shop (review pending), Kai has a very zen-​like environment. With green tea leaves infused and incense burning, you are immediately calmed and feel soothed. The hostess was warm and friendly — what a great way to enter a restaurant. We are immediately presented with hot towels to clean our hands.
You can either order from Kai’s a la carte menu or go with one of their omakase chef tasting menus. Of course, we go with the large tasting menu, which takes about two hours to complete. We told our server we had to leave by nine to meet with friends, and she was very cognizant of it during our whole meal.
We had the Ryuko Junmai Dai Gingo sake, which was very smooth.
Our tasting included:
Homemade tofu and sea urchin — I never knew how fantastic homemade tofu was. So soft and creamy, it went perfectly with the sea urchin.
Marinated vegetables in a ponzu vinaigrette — came with zucchini, carrot, asparagus, tomato, and pearl onions. A fresh palette cleanser.
Traditional clear soup with flying fish roe quenelle — This dish had almost a matzoh ball texture, but better! The broth was amazing!
Sashimi — Blue fin tuna directly from Japan, shrimp, Hawaiian Komaru and Long Island fluke. Blue fin tuna was by far the best piece of sashimi I’ve ever had (Have not been to Japan yet).
Soft shell crab and avocado wrapped in rice paper with tomoato and shichimi togarashi relish — very good warm dish. Crunch of the crab and creaminess of avocado go very well together.
Broiled red snapper with Japanese raw ginger.
Traditional Japanese flounder tempura, eggplant with ponzu sauce.
Waygu beef with fried white asparagus served with homemade sweet barbeque sauce. This is what all beef should taste like… seriously.
Soba noodles in oolong tea broth with wasabi and green onion — BEST soba I’ve EVER had. Craving it now, actually.
Dessert: fruit assortment with chocolate mouse cake and mochi in honey sauce.
Towards the end of the meal, they served fantastic matcha green tea from Ito En. Every dish was timed perfectly, and they apologized for keeping us until 9:05! They sent us home with a goodie bag of Ito En bottled tea, which I love!
Kai is a special experience. Not only is the food excellent, but the service was impeccable.

UPDATE June 7, 2008
Down to 3.5 Stars. Wow, a lot has changed since the last time I ate at Kai. There appears to be a solo show happening in the kitchen; the «supporting» chefs have left, and the result is DISASTROUS. Ok, I’m being a little dramatic here, but the kaiseki once held in foodie xanadu now lacks the creativity and harmony that earned it 5 stars.
Perhaps the worse offense was the pureed sweet potatoes with browned butter, which accompanied the tea steamed fish wrapped around some mushy eggplant. The combination just didn’t work. The quality of sashimi was decent, hardly «the best» as purported in the menu prologue, especially in comparison to other Japanese restaurants around the area like Sasabune. Dessert was simply too sweet, and hardly referenced the previous dishes in the meal, as most chefs who serve kaiseki attempt to do (please let me know if you see the connection between cheesecake and salt crusted cod.)
Such a disappointment after my last memorable meal! That said, the ambiance is still sexy, though I would go somewhere else to impress the palate for $ 100.
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REALLY GOOD kaiseki dinner… need I say more? My mother and I ordered two kinds of iced plum sake to accompany the meal. I LOVED their small slices of smoked duck, cubes of savory jello and crab stuffed tulips. We were treated extremely well and they even gave us a gift bag of Ito-​en teas. Everything is very Japanese, from the cliente to the servers/​chef. Go there for the calming atmosphere, sit by the window and relax with some prime sashimi and sake.

Recommended for: lunch, dinner with friends or family, business dinner, date.
Food 5, Service 5, Ambiance 5.
if you read my review of Ito En, you already know this place hath be-​stilled my heart — but the food, oh, we need more stars! Arrived on a Tuesday night, not many people. You enter Ito En and go up the stairs to find a hostess greet you warmly in Japanese and seats you to one of the few tables. The atmosphere is inviting and definitely Japanese.
I came here with my newly hired COO (woohoo!) and we talked business. Seated right next to the glass wall, overlooking down below at Ito En almost loft life, it was great. We ordered two dishes which did take awhile to arrive, but if you know good fresh food — nothing is quick. My Traditional Clear Soup with Broccoli Shinjo arrived and it was delectable. Light, flavorful, think broccoli matzoh ball (but so much better). Next, was the ‘Shabu” Styled Rib-​eye Steak. Thinly sliced beef cooked carefully in broth; it was light, flavorful and fell apart in my mouth. I was transported to Kobe where I had dined on ‘real’ Kobe beef and I was in heaven… fried rice balls compliment the meal.
You could have the chefs Kaiseki cuisine which looked phenomenal, but I wasn’t that hungry. The portions allow you to truly enjoy the meal without having to «fill yourself» (so if you are looking to be stuffed beyond your pants’ limit, go Italian, not authentic Japanese).
Service was great, and you were made to feel welcomed into someones home. The hostess also appreciated us speaking to her in Japanese — we got a special ‘Thank you’ gift at the end of our meal. I’ll definitely be back again, and again, and again…
Sean Approved: Zettaini ita houga ii yo!!!

Offers a fresh take on the traditional Kaiseki meal. The staff was helpful and kind. I found the different meals to be innovative, fresh and new. The bathrooms are downstairs via elevator. The décor is modern and I loved, aesthetically speaking, the fact that the main restaurant was located on the second floor overlooking the Ito tea company. They offer a tasty selection of teas. The whole experience reminded me of the more modern aspects of Japan I almost felt as if I were in a ryokan. I was there on a snowy valentine night so it was empty except for other very young patrons. They gave us these delightful bags of green tea dusted chocalate coated almonds. If you feel a bit uncertain about the kaseiki experience or being in this area, this is a very comfortable place where you will be welcomed.

I don’t know who out there enjoys going to places that think their food is so good they can give you a mere four bites and you will be so grateful to them. This place is like that. I had a tuna steak that was so small, I had to make sure I was eating it slowly just so it wasn’t done in five minutes. Their appetizer sampler looked to like six pieces of trail mix. And the prices were sky high! I don’t care if a restaurant is expensive, not at all. But they have to earn it. Their prices need to be justified by their food quality/​quantity. This place does not earn their high prices.

Just had dinner here tonight with mom!
All in all i would have to say i was very satisfied!
We both got the Omakase.
Lots of fish dishes including incredible sashimi. And the Wagyu shabu shabu style with some leafy greens and goma-​dare was out of this world. The beef literally melted in my mouth. Dessert was good too… the yuzu cheesecake and almond cookies were the best!
The atmosphere is really comforting. Nothing fancy. Its a tiny little restaurant. And the food was also very comforting. It was very authentic Japanese, they didn’t try to do any of that fancy fusion crap (don’t get my wrong, i don’t have a problem with fusion restaurants, but Kai was beautiful because of the authenticity!)
And of course since its like run by Ito-​En, a big Japanese tea company, they served DELISH tea!
a satisfied customer!

If you don’t mind a pricey lunch, Kai is THE best Japanese restaurant I have ever been to. Everything about the restaurant, particularly the food, was just like an authentic sushi place in Tokyu. I was amazed that even the texture of the sashimi in my bento was like it came from Japan (and yes, there IS a big difference between American sashimi and real Japanese sashimi). Delicious, delicious, delicious. I am definitely going back the next time I’m in NY.

Start your afternoon walk in the Upper East Side with a bento from Kai. Their bento, a traditional boxed meal from Japan, typically includes miso soup, housemade tofu, tsukemono, sashimi, a variety of okazu, and dessert – all beautifully presented in a zen-​like atmosphere. Enjoy these foods while sipping soothing tea from Ito En, the tea shop downstairs. If you need a reprieve from the city’s hustle and bustle, savor the simplicity and refinement of a traditional Japanese meal at Kai.