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| - The negative reviews about this place should be disregarded. The ones I've read are all written by people who seem to know little about Japanese food, like not to get a deep-fried dish for takeout, what the names of things they ate are...
Hiro is world class, period. I was a NYer for 15 years, ate at several of the best places there. I've traveled to Tokyo several times, and around Japan. I had the best sushi in Honolulu at Sasabune. Hiro holds its own with any of them. Not every thing on the menu is special, true. Which is why my wife and I tend to go there when we want to splurge and get the omakase. The chefs bring out their very best stuff, and you don't know what it'll be. It's usually the best meal of the year.
We went for our third omakase meal there last night, and it was wonderful again. All the fish was exemplary, starting with the red snapper, o-toro, and yellowtail sashimi. Absolutely top quality. We also had a dish of sautéed mushrooms and grilled black cod, both of which were outstanding. There was what they call the crazy roll (delicious) and the spicy ribbon roll (also terrific.) There was the butterfish sashimi served with the fish's deep-fried skeleton. All of it wonderful. Ate every bone and morsel. Then came the nigiri, which included a wasabi octopus specialty, and frankly the only octopus sushi I've ever enjoyed. The salmon was sublime, the bluefin and albacore tuna wonderfully contrasting and delicious.
The service was very good, and we felt like two very lucky people, having one of the best meals possible. Bill for this extravagant spread came to just over $200 for the two of us, including two large beers and two glasses of wine. The same meal at Sasabune cost us $330, and wasn't really better.
If you go and want to order a special treat, try the kiwi salmon. It's a blend of raw salmon, salmon roe, and kiwi seeds. The whole thing works brilliantly, and was invented by Chef Hiro. Memorable. Go, and get the good stuff. You will not be disappointed. Unless you don't know about Japanese food.
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