13: OToro Aburi with Caviar
Outside Genki
Like a mother hen, I’ve been sitting gingerly on this egg for a while.
I visited Genki Omakase in June 2022. It’s currently July 2024. A lot has happened in two years: Kiehl’s retired their Moroccan Clay product line, Sami Zayn joined and left the Bloodline and the Maple Leafs disappointed their fans thrice more. Life’s been crazy.
I initially avoided this review under my “don’t be a jerk to shitty restaurants during COVID” policy.
But there’s two things that brought it back into my universe. First, my Genki dining partner is currently living it up on vacation in Albania. I don’t get jealous, but if I did, a summer trip to Ksamil beach or wherever he is would probably do it.
Second, someone pointed out the Google Rating is through the roof.
The google rating for Genki is out of control
I consider this blog the watchful protector of sushi in New York. And Genki Omakase isn’t a 4.8. It’s not even a 3.8. or a 2.8 on the Google scale or the Balls scale. And when I posted on my Instagram that Genki had a whiff of the Emperor Has No Clothes, the comments flowed.
Bottom line, Genki is now fair game. So let’s dive into what I didn’t like. And fair warning. My last two reviews were Sushi Sho and Sushi Namba’s NYC pop up, each about $1,000 and 2,000 words. My fingers are still stiff. This won’t be that.
Genki has two menus
Both are ostensibly omakase, though I think society needs an omakase summit to figure out exactly what that term means. Let me try and help.
Omakase means leaving it to the chef. Sure, a set menu that the chef chooses technically qualifies, but really that’s called okimari, which loosely translates to “set menu”. As far as I can tell, Genki’s two “omakase” options are unchanged all year long.
We went with the 17 courses for $96.
1: Kumamoto Oyster
The meal starts with the Kumamoto Oyster and a squirt of ponzu. Kumamoto oysters are so-named for Kumamoto prefecture on the west coast of Kyushu in Japan. These days, they’re mostly sourced from the northwest coast of North America. I always find them particularly sweet; no different here, one of the few highlights of this meal.
Things take a turn away from flavourtown on the second course
And yes, it’s spelled flavour. You can take the Canadian out of Canada, but you can’t take the Canadian out of the Canadian. I think that makes sense.
The second course is called Black Cod (Gindara) on the menu, but it’s laced with a truffle sauce of some sort. Now, you might be saying “Legend – black cod is incredible. I ate it 43 days in a row at the original Nobu. How can it be bad?”
To which I would respond “Legend. That was miso black cod, it was done by a fusion expert, and Nobu Matsuhisa is long gone opening hotels. His original sushiya has been replaced by something called Beef Bar, the go-to restaurant for nepo babies who grew up mainlining Tucker Max. There’s security outside. For a glorified Outback. The less said the better”.
3: Tsubugai
4: Kanpachi
5: Madai
6: Kinmedai
7: They said this was Akami. I am skeptical.
8: Botan Ebi was apparently served with Yuzu SKIN. No wonder it was so bitter.
9: Shima Aji
10: Hotategai
Let’s talk about Tomatoes
The eleventh course is King Salmon with tomato salad or whatever on top. Now, salmon and tomato do work together. But usually the salmon is smoked and there is a bagel and cream cheese involved (I’d also tag in capers, but I know some of you aren’t as authentic). Let me put this very simply: we’re not at Bagel World. These combinations don’t work with sushi. Never have, never will.
11: “King Salmon” with tomato
12: Katsuo (Skipjack) prepared yakimono was the trifeca – dry, salty and tasteless.
13: Uni with truffles
14: O Toro Aburi with Caviar
The customers match the setting
Midway through the meal, I started noticing a situation developing next to me. This person didn’t realize sushi is to be eaten, not collected like samples of veggie samosas at Costco. Now, I have seen this before once or twice, but usually the culprit will leave the sushi where it’s served. A perceptive Itamae will notice and passive aggressively ask if they’re done.
But I’ve never seen a person squirrel sushi. Or even food, unless you’re counting my darling wife “borrowing” mini cereal boxes from the Hampton Inn in Florence South Carolina.
You might say this isn’t really Genki’s fault, but is it not Disney’s fault that there’s a billion screaming kids at the Magic Kingdom? As the old saying goes, “if you build it, dbags will come”. And this lady thought she was at the Golden Corral.
A sushi psycho was saving their food for later
15: Shiro Maguro
16th course was A5 Wagyu, Foie Gras and Uni temaki
I didn’t get a picture of that concoction, and frankly, I didn’t need to. You’ve seen it 1,000 times because all these “chalkboard omakase” spots serve some variation of it. I’m going to get on my soapbox here, but this is why I despise it almost as much as I despise people who don’t put the supplemental weights back at the gym.
Apart from being a creative outlet, this blog is a testament to those itamae, as well as my love for sushi. I love the harmony of the shari and neta, I love experiencing different interpretations, but most of all, I enjoy how difficult it is to fake. – Me on the front page of this blog.
Putting a bunch of individually delicious ingredients like wagyu – torched, because of course it was – foie gras and Uni together sounds like it’d be delicious. And maybe it is. But the goal is to trick you. Fake good sushi, because the skill bar is very low. This is lowest common denominator stuff, designed to fire the tastebuds for people who don’t know any better. Shit, the rice could be bismati and no one would know. That’s why Genki has such great reviews.
Good thing you have this blog to set you right.
Not recommended.
Ps: Moko, in the east village? You’re next.
17: Ama Ebi and Uni
