| rev:text
| - Alas, my friends, it is with a heavy heart that I must demote Sushi Kaya from five stars to only two.
Since August, I have visited this establishment over 20 times, and until recently, always found the quality to be consistent.
My last 2 visits (5/1/2010 and 5/12/2010) were extremely disappointing.
As usual, my friends and I purchased the All You Can Eat sushi, and proceeded to order our favorites. We were all in good spirits, expecting the feast that was to come - until we saw the food.
In the past, I would struggle to eat a piece of Kaya's nigiri sushi in a single bite. The chefs cut the fish thick and broad, so that it completely covered its bed of rice. Not anymore. The mackerel, salmon, and yellowtail nigiri I received had been reduced to half the size, at least.
This, in of itself, is not a problem at an AYCE place. I could overlook it as a cost-control measure, if the quality of the fish had not declined to the same pittance as the portion. The fish was decidedly old - even a little dry in spots. The chefs tried to cover up the worst selections with ponzu sauce. I love ponzu, but on nigiri? Sacrilege.
Rolls proved more palatable, if only for the multitude of ingredients drowning out the fish.. The only one that was actually delicious was the Spider Roll. However, the sushi artistry I observed on my earlier visits was missing. Each roll appeared sloppy on the plate, and the pieces were difficult to pick up intact. Was the chef too hasty to give a damn about cohesion? Was it his first day on the job?
I try not to judge too harshly, but I must also add that the avocados were inexcusable. My avocado lover (an orb-like sculpture of shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, and avocado slices) was inedible. The avocado was so hard and under ripe, I'm surprised it could be sliced at all. If the avocados are so petrified that I can't poke a chopstick through a thin slice, why would a chef deign to serve it? I'm baffled..
The worst discovery of all was the tuna. I'm a big fan of tuna. I *KNOW* what tuna is supposed to look and taste like. What Sushi Kaya currently serves as tuna is decidedly ANYTHING BUT.
I don't know what it is, exactly. My best guess is dyed tilapia. It has the strangest shade of pink I've ever seen - like a watermelon jolly rancher. It has almost no flavor at all, and it flakes like a white fish.
Tuna: you're doing it wrong.
Other small gripes include the watering down of their miso soup, and an unfortunate switch from their previous brand of green tea ice cream (very flavorful and creamy, with bitter tea notes) to a new brand (bland, too sweet, may as well be vanilla).
I don't know if Kaya is cutting corners, having issues with its supplier, or both, but I don't think I'll be back for a while.
The service and ambiance is still pleasant, so it keeps a few points for style. I knocked them down to two stars, instead of one, in hopes that the restaurant gets its act together.
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