SADLY, KYO YA IS NOW CLOSED.
Let me just say up front that I love Japanese food. Which is weird because the one really bad food experience I remember from childhood was eating at the casual Japan restaurant at EPCOT. There was some brewed flavor (soy perhaps?) in their soup that really turned me off to Japanese cuisine for many years.
Well, I’m glad I found it again. I love the clean, delicate, raw flavors. Sushi, tempura, ramen, yakitori, wasabi. You name it; I’ll eat it.
I was so excited to try Kyo Ya in the East Village. It’s a little hideaway below 7th Street and it opens up into a relaxed setting that feels both casual and fancy at the same time. The staff was welcoming and happy and just made us feel at home. I was ready to order everything on their menu and give them all my money. But there were two items on my list, so that’s where I started.
The first dish was the Yuba and Uni Yoshino-style. I had never had anything like this before in my life, but after my first bite, I hoped I would have it again and again.
Yuba means tofu skin and uni is sea urchin. I’m not a huge fan of tofu, but I don’t mind it if it’s in a flavorful dish. The first time I tasted sea urchin was many years ago at a sushi restaurant in Pittsburgh. At the time, I remember it being the most disgusting thing I had ever put in my mouth.
Well, times have changed and either now I like disgusting things in my mouth (no comments, please) or this was a whole other level of sea urchin. It was so fresh and the texture was both creamy and chewy.
The tofu skin was like cold wide noodles with a milky flavor and firm bite. All this was served cold in a clear broth with black seaweed and wasabi for a little texture and heat, respectively.
This was an amazing dish, my favorite from the list so far. The sweet and briny flavors made me yearn to be both a sea creature and a vegetarian. Or a vegetarian sea creature. Do those even exist? And if so, can I be one?
Would Kyo Ya’s yuba and uni yoshino-style make my Top 100 of the year? I can enthusiastically say yes, making this my first 10 out of 10rating thus far. Ooh, I can’t wait to go back and experience it all over again.
which sushi restaurant in Pitt? I was given bad Uni at Chaya (in pittsburgh) my first time, the second time (don’t ask why) it was incredible.
I wish I remembered the name of the sushi place. Sushi Too, maybe? It was on E. Carson Street in the South Side. This was over ten years ago. Maybe like many pleasures of life, the first time is always a bit disappointing. Either that, or just don’t try the Uni in Pittsburgh.
ah, I’ve heard of it. Not the best reviews. In case you return, the restaurant Umi (not uni) is probably your best bet, followed by Chaya.
I’m very jealous of the NY food scene. Hoping to make a trip up soon and will definitely take some of your recs into consideration.