Why Come Here? Kaiseki style dining, foodie indulgence, sampling hard-to-find Japanese delicacies
Last week the good folks at Tabelog were generous enough to bring me to dinner at EN Japanese Brasserie. EN is a place suited for a full on food indulgence with many Japanese specialties rarely found in NYC. The cavernous dining room could be the largest such space in the West Village and sets up well for a large group. But if you’re in the mood for something more intimate, the counter around the central open kitchen and soaring cherry tree in the middle create some cozier spaces as well. Up front is EN Shochu bar, one of the few bars in New York specializing in the Japanese liquor. It’s a nice spot to stop for a drink and soak in the ambiance.
With a grand space, you expect a grand meal. And with EN’s kaiseki menus you get just that. A kaiseki is basically a Japanese tasting menu, so be prepared for a leisurely meal. The house specialty is the tofu, made fresh six times per night. Currently they’re celebrating cherry blossom season with a special cocktail and kaseiki menu. Naturally I had to try both. Between that and Cutie Patroller ordering the Soyo Kaza Kaseiki I ate a lot of food, so get ready for a photo barrage:
From the Sakura Kaiseki Menu
Zensai 
This was a collection of 9 different 2 bite plates. I would say I can’t remember what they all were, but that would imply I knew at some point. My favorites were the squid (upper middle) and prawn.
Sakura Smoked Sashimi 
Two pieces each of fresh and tender wagyu and Tasmanian sea trout. It’s brought out with a smoke filled lid giving it that fresh smoked flavor. Definitely one of my favorite dishes here.
Sakuradai Sugata Ankake (fried seam bream w/ cherry leaf sauce) 
When this first came out I almost complained “you took the good part!” But thankfully the meat is there in front of the bones cooked tempura style in a cherry leaf sauce.
Sakura Tofu 
Admittedly, I’m not the biggest tofu fan but it isone of the specialties here so you gotta give it a go. This one is rolled to maybe half an inch thick and while I appreciated the melt in your mouth texture, I thought the cherry leaf broth didn’t add enough flavor. I preferred the version on the soyo kaze menu with the soy based wari-joyu sauce.
Mushi Washugyu Shabu Shabu (slice beef w/ sesame ponzu) 
Washugyu is apparently a mix breed of kobe, wagyu and angus. It’s also delicious, especially with the tangy sesame ponzu.
Cooking on the Counter
Ready to Eat
Lobster & Sakura Hapa Kamameshi (lobster w/ steamed rice & Hacho miso) This is another one that wins style points. They brought this out about 20 minutes before you eat it in the little oven you see above. You then add the thick, slightly sweet miso sauce and enjoy. Thoroughly.
From the Soyo Kazu Kaiseki Menu
Freshly Scooped Tofu (w/wari-joyu) The more flavorful soy based sauce greatly increased my enjoyment of this tofu, but I’ll admit it’s still not really my thing. For a tofu lover, this could be a 3 or more.
Stone Grilled Organic Chicken Served on a hot plate in a garlic shoyu, this was some pretty tasty grilled chicken.
Miso Black Cod I feel like you can’t go wrong serving this dish, and EN’s rendition is no exception. But I also feel like it’s been done and I remain partial to the Nobu version.
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EN Japanese Brasserie
435 Hudson Street (Leroy & Morton Sts.)
New York, NY
