Iron Chef House (Sushi & Japanese Cuisine: Brooklyn’s Best Kept Secret)
Iron Chef House
92 Clark St
(near Henry St, and Pace University’s St George Dorm)
(718) 858-8517
If you think the best Japanese restaurants are in Manhattan, think again. There are exceptions with such restaurants as ‘Masa’, ‘Morimoto’, or ‘Sugiyama’ where they offer top notch sushi for the highest dollar. BUT, if you’re looking for delicious sushi at an unbeatable price, come to Brooklyn. That’s right Brooklyn. Under the brooklyn bridge, there’s an up and coming neighborhood, aka Brooklyn Heights, which is becoming a highly attractive and trendy place.
The reason why I came here was because my mother had come to this place before and she’s an avid sushi lover. She insisted that I had to come here because she believes it is the best sushi that she has ever tasted in Brooklyn, but I have my doubts coming from a woman who’s content with any kind of food, including my home cooking. Haha. She knew some people who worked there and had hookups to a table there on a busy friday night for me, my brother, bf, and of course her. When we finally made it there, I noticed how small it was. It was like the size of a studio, but it looked cozy as hell. All the sushi chefs huddled in the back putting their skills to the test, while we sat right in front of them. Yes that’s how small it is. So expect to wait when you get there even if you make a reservation.
I’m really glad that this place has Japanese sushi chefs making my sushi. I have to admit, I have been to sushi places that has been prepared by non-Japanese chefs and they always lack something. Sometimes I don’t need to see who’s making it and can tell just by looking at the sushi. Like sometimes my sushi rolls aren’t decorative or the chef skimps out on ingredients like rice, fish, or avocado, or they don’t use fresh ingredients. I really hate that. Also, instead of using crab meat, they use fake crab meat which I really don’t like, but apparently it’s acceptable in NYC. Try going to LA’s Japan town. I guarantee they don’t use that fake sheit.
Now check this out:
On your right you have your Monkey Roll, which has shrimp tempura, avocado on top and inside, crab meat and topped off with several different kinds of spicy sauce with sesame. If you’re not a fan of raw sushi, this is the roll for you. The marriage between the soft and creamy avocado with the crunchy shrimp tempura really creates the perfect balance in your mouth. I have never had such a roll before and I am definitely glad that I’ve tasted something so incredible. Excellent.
This house special roll is only $9.95. Look how much they’re giving you!! You really can’t beat that.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
My Rating: 5/5
The other one is the Spicy Yellow Dragon Roll. In it contains tuna, salmon, yellow tail, crab meat, mixed veggies topped with fish flakes, sesame, and a spice sauce. Now I’m not a fan of raw food, but luckily the waitress had it half cooked so it maintained the seafood freshness and it was easy to eat because it’s not as slimy which I loved. I have to admit, this was the best dragon roll I ever had. This roll had a hint of spiciness and it went well with the whole array of textures — smooth, soft, and crunchy.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
My Rating: 5/5
The next dish the waitress served to us is the Tuna Tataki. This is half seared tuna topped with sesame, sliced seaweed, and topped with the chef’s special sauce.
Price: $7.50
With a good piece of seafood, you are never supposed to taste the “fishy-ness.” This very moist half pan-seared tuna taste smooth and succulent. As a first time having tuna like this, I am actually very impressed with this dish.
Recommended
My Rating: 5/5
Grilled Rice Ball
Price $4.50
Look how artistically done this rice ball is. The rice is moist, unlike most riceballs, and it is drizzled with soy sauce. The inside of this contains dried shredded pork with the chef’s special sauce to make it moist. You’d be surprised at how one can really fill you up.
Recommended
My Rating: 5/5
Green Seaweed Salad
Price: $4.50
This by far is the best seaweed salad I have ever have. I’m serious. Usually with most seaweed salads you’ll have seaweed that looks like it’s fished right out of the ocean and right onto your plate. Here they cut it into thin slices, mix it in with some thin clear rice noodles, and toss it with some salt, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. I am quite impressed by this dish and would definitely reorder this when I come back.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
My Rating: 5/5
Grilled Spicy Crispy Salmon Salad with spinach, sliced carrots caviar, and spicy wine sauce.
Price: $7.00
This is an impressive looking salad, but I personally didn’t like it only because I don’t like seafood in my salad. But the Salmon is very fresh and flavorful and I would recommend this to those who likes salmon and salad.
My rating: 4/5
Seafood Sauteed Lo Mein Noodles
Price: $14.00
The sauteed lo mein noodles remains very moist and flavorful. With the mix of the sesame seeds and the fish, it’s a delectable delight. I usually never have seafood with lo mein noodles, but surprisingly this is very good to eat. Not bad.
Recommended.
My Rating: 4/5
Grilled Chilean Sea Bass!
Price: $16.00
This has got to be the best sea bass I have ever tasted in my whole entire life. The presentation of the dish is actually the reflection of how delicious it is. The sea bass is seasoned very well with ground pepper, salt, sesame seeds, and parsley bits, and it is grilled to perfection. Words itself cannot describe how incredible this dish is.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
My Rating: 5/5
Last but not least,
FRIED ICE CREAM!
(Red bean, vanilla, green tea)
Price: $3.75
Fried ice cream can never go wrong. Of course sometimes chefs might add a little too much flour, but this isn’t the case with this one. After a long hearty meal here, the best way to end the night is with a big cup of fried ice cream. My part had the vanilla and the red bean. We finished every last drop.
I really recommend this place because the price is right and the food is very authentic and flavorful. When you’re in the neighborhood, drop on by and try it out!
Curious on what their health inspection report is? I leave you with this:
IRON CHEF HOUSE
92 CLARK STREET, BROOKLYN 11201
718-858-8517
Current violation points: 17/28
Inspection Date: 02/05/2007
Violations were cited in the following area(s) and those requiring immediate action were addressed.
1.) Non-food contact surface improperly constructed. Unacceptable material used. Non-food contact surface or equipment improperly maintained.
2.) Lighting inadequate. Fixture not shielded.
3.) Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly.
4.) Sanitized equipment or utensil, including in-use food dispensing utensil, improperly used or stored.
5.) Personal cleanliness inadequate. Clean outer garments, effective hair restraint not worn.
Cheap Authentic Vietnamese Food for the Hungry: Nha Trang One
Nha Trang One
87 Baxter St (near Canal St)
New York, NY
(212) 233-5948
Of the three Vietnamese restaurants on this block, I think this by far is the better tasting one.
When I came here with my boyfriend and his friends, we were really reluctant to come here, but his friends reassured us that this is the place to be. And inside, the decor of the restaurant looked pretty plain, plus there were a lot of tourists in there which pretty much is a turn off for me. I usually avoid this restaurant because of the tourists the reason being that I think touristy food = junk/fast food. Plus the decor in the other two restaurants looks better than this one, but I’ll soon learn that image isn’t always everything.
Beef cube with Rice
$5.75
This beef cube is the very tender and oh so juicy, unlike the other Vietnamese restaurants in Chinatown. Usually the beef would be rolled up and then grilled ’til charred. I really hate that. But the way they make it here is right on the money and it’s cut into small piece, which I really enjoy.
My rating: 4.5/5
Highly Recommended!
Next came the Grilled pork chop w/tomatoes and cucumbers over rice.
$5.75
Pretty soon, you’ll see the same consistency with the way their meats are cooked. This lovely young pork chop is tender, juicy, and oh so succulent, and not at all dried as you will see in the other vietnamese restaurants due to over grilling. It would be nice if there’s a little more sauce with this dish, but it’s still pretty good. For the price, you really can’t go wrong.
Recommended!
My Rating: 4/5
Steak w/Fried Rice
$6.50
I really can’t give much credit to this dish, I can’t. The downfall of this dish is the fried rice. It is probably the blandest fried rice I have ever have, and it does not look fried at all. Not to say that it is a failure, but I’m saying that it’s pretty much some soy sauce and probably subtle hints of oyster sauce. Honestly, I think they would make it with and least some green peas and carrots and maybe, just maybe some pineapple. But hey, at least the steak was not disappointing. It wasn’t the greatest, but it was tender and juicy. I did needed more salt for this.
Not recommended
Rating: 2/5
House Special Rice Noodles in soup with beef brisket, tendon, eye round and omoza
$5.50
Having a good soup really sets the mood for this bowl. When you have a really pretty brown color that’s not too light and not too dark, you have yourself a delicious bowl of noodles. The reason why this dish is so popular is because the rice noodles complements the soup so well. All the rich flavor from the soup is absorbed in the noodles as well as the raw beef brisket, which you’ll have to dip in your soup. Usually when I have this signature dish at other Vietnamese restaurants, the beef is usually flavorless due to a bland soup. But here, they do it very well.
Highly recommended!
Rating: 4/5
Of course there are so many dishes here to try since the menu seems to be absolutely endless, but definitely try their house special rice noodle soup, spring rolls, rice vermicelli
NHA TRANG REST.
87 BAXTER STREET, MANHATTAN 10013
212-233-5948
Current violation points: 7
Inspection Date: 03/05/2007
Violations were cited in the following area(s) and those requiring immediate action were addressed.
1.) Cold food held above 41°F (smoked fish above 38°F) except during necessary preparation.
