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Hiroko’s Place
Hiroko’s Place
75 Thompson St
New York, NY 10012
(212) 625-1303
*This venue is now closed.
Lost among all the high end shopping and boutique stores in SOHO is a small Japanese restaurant called Hiroko’s Place. Located along Thompson St., it feels more like a café than a restaurant. There are eclectic patterned seat covered steel Windsor chairs, different shapes of tables, and plush sofas and chairs. The walls are nicely decorated with Japanese watercolor art, a curio cabinet is filled with porcelain tea sets and figurines, completed with bookcase filled with Manga books. The floor to ceiling store front windows brighten up the inside on a sunny day.
Hiroko’s Place specializes in a Japanese style of cooking called yoshoku (meaning Western Food). Unfamiliar with the general public, yoshoku was first introduced during the Meiji Restoration in the mid-19th century. A period when Japan transformed from a secluded nation into adopting Western ideas which the emperor believed was a means to the nation’s future progress. During this process Japan adopted Western food and put a little twist to it.
Like many first time diners I was baffled on my initial visit at Hiroko’s Place. Expecting the staple Japanese dishes – rolls, udon, and yakatori – on their menu. Instead, I was presented by what we Americans call comfort food.
There are a few Japanese inspired appetizers like the crab and shrimp shumai and the Kara-age (Japanese style fried chicken) which is a great way to start a meal or just to snack on. The entrée choices are broad, from spaghetti and casseroles to sandwiches!
The Mushroom Spaghetti greets you with its earthy aromatic mixture of mushrooms making it one of my favorite dishes in this restaurant while its Sea Food counterpart is just as delicious. Their Chicken and Vegetable Curries has a gentle touch of spiciness and when the curry sauce is mixed with the white rice it becomes a hearty dish. The Pizza Toast and Casserole Sea Food gratin are both similar in that they are filling dishes. On my last visit here I had the Fried Shrimp, one of their specialty dishes. Deep fried jumbo shrimp covered in panko (Japanese style bread crumbs) served with rice and eggs.
The best dish that I’ve tasted at Hiroko’s Place is the Omu Rice (rice omelet) that is stuffed with fried rice, chicken, and vegetables. For a dollar more the omu rice is transformed into Anpan-Man Omu Rice, presented with a smiling face and Japanese inscription designed in ketchup.
Hiroko’s Place offers desserts that are not too sweet and go well with the in house made coffees. A Green Tea Parfait served in a tall glass and the Custard Pudding A La Mode are both packed with fruits and ice cream while the A la Mode is served with a glass of liquid sugar to sweeten it up to your liking.
Unfortunately there are no alcoholic drinks served at Hiroko’s Place which can be discouraging for some, but the siphon coffee maker behind the bar brews a potent cup of coffee that any caffeine snob can appreciate. They offer an array of teas and milkshakes as well.
Food prices are inexpensive, large plates are no more than $20 dollars and appetizers average at $8, a surplus for an individual to do more shopping in the neighborhood!
Guests are greeted in Japanese by the staff when you walk in and as you leave. It is a popular spot among native Japanese diners which occupy the restaurant at any given day of the week. On one of my visits I overheard a guest talking to his companion that the food that they serve at this restaurant was close to the one that he had served in Japan. Hiroko’s Place is authentic as it gets!
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Prima
Prima
58 East 1 St
New York, NY 10003
(646) 559-4823
Official Site
*This venue is now closed.
There are some chefs today that tend to be over indulgent, especially with fish. They tend to utilize too many components in one dish. It’s a damn shame that the savory taste of a beautiful piece of tuna or salmon becomes lost within the purees, sauces, and caviars. Sometimes all it requires is simplicity, in which a small seafood restaurant in the East Village called Prima and its talented chef David Malbequi has perfected.
Chef Malbequi, a veteran of Daniel Boulud and Lourent Tourendel restaurant group, has mastered the art of cooking fish with very little ingredients. Using salt, pepper, and fresh herbs as a compliment, he allows the natural flavor to be the main attraction. His precision and execution are flawless.
The entrées at Prima consist of mainly fish, while the appetizers are divided in cooked and raw plates. For the oyster purist, you will be delighted to know that they offer five kinds of this delicacy.
Entrée’s that I’ve had the pleasure to enjoy at this restaurant are the delightful Red Snapper and Durade. Seasoned and cooked perfectly, the skin sides had a crispy texture while the inside of both fish were soft and moist. After devouring the entrée’s, an aphrodisiac moment kicks in asking myself “how can a simple dish be so delicious?”
The Tempura Hake that was named by Time Out NY as one of the best seafood dishes in New York City 2012 was their rendition to fish and chips. Two pieces of hake made with a special tempura batter that provided a different kind of crunch. The Sea Scallops, the only non-fish entrée in the menu were another simple, but titillating dish. The server suggested squeezing the lemon over the scallops; this bought out the sweetness and enhanced the taste magnificently.
Although there are homemade sauces that are paired with each entrée but I suggest staying away from them and have the dishes as is.
The appetizers are just as good as the entrées starting with the Octopus. Its tender meat with olives and lemon has a wonderful flavor that’s balanced by the feta cheese. Then there is Sardines Rillettes, a Portuguese sardine served in a can with olive oil and bread. Quality canned sardines that the Iberian Peninsula is known for and not your typical ones that are on the shelf at Gristedes.
In one of my visits to Prima, I ordered the Crab Cakes just to do a comparison of those that I’ve had in New York City. This was way better than many of the restaurants here.
Other than the excellent food that comes out the kitchen, Prima also has an outstanding cocktail program by Greg Sieder of The Summit Bar. This is the only restaurant where I bother not to look the wine list and just go with cocktails with my meal.
Each drink creation is well thought out and the numerous mixtures blend well together. There are sweet concoctions like the GP Spritz and The Last Cocktail, as well as potent manly drinks like The Mancini and their own version of Negroni called Lion In London. There are also aromatic and refreshing drinks like The Street .
Situated along East 1st, Prima has a casual neighborhood vibe. It’s a café in the morning where locals get their caffeine fix while working on their laptops. At night, the place morphs into a full service restaurant with a charming atmosphere and always welcoming, unpretentious staff.
This small space is dominated by marble top bar tables that are spaced evenly and paired with steel high chairs that lead to a small bar in the back with a semi open kitchen where the Chef and his crew can be seen hard at work. The exposed brick walls and painted concrete flooring completes the industrial chic interior of the restaurant.
Having visited Prima multiple times in the past few months they have stayed consistent with their food, drinks, and service. Impeccable all across the board is all that I can say.
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