We’d been to this same SushiSamba some eight years ago. It was the first time I’d ever enjoyed sushi, so it holds a special place in my restaurant pantheon. We visited their Las Vegas last October and were not disappointed. So, back in NY, we decided to return to the place where it all began.
As is the custom, we started off with their steamed edamame. We shared a bowl of Rock Shrimp Tempura -- a personal favorite that I highly recommend to any diners. They’re warm, crunchy, and rich with flavor. I think it’s their best dish, honestly.
We also snacked on a little tuna tartare. The tuna (pictured above) was wrapped around bamboo shoots, adding a nice crunch to the tasty tuna.
For lunch I went with the jumbo shrimp seviche and Tina ordered the Samba Sushi (a sampler, pictured left). Both were, to expectation, very good. The seviche wasn’t terribly inspired, but it was quite tasty. Tina’s spicy tuna rolls, though, clearly stood out as the better choice.
The only drag on SushiSamba 7 was the obvious deterioration of the space. It was clean, but it seemed worn. The staff, while reasonably good, spent a fair amount of time talking (loudly) amongst themselves. It just didn’t have the energy I remembered, making Las Vegas the better of the two.
I’d gladly return but, next time, I’ll probably visit one of sushiSamba’s other Manhattan locations.
★★★★☆
87 7th Ave S
New York, NYÂ 10014
(212) 691-7885