The Shiro Experience

Last Updated on Friday, 04 December 2009 18:18 By Jason Feinberg Friday, 04 December 2009 18:05

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I remember about three years ago, a colleague from Philadelphia was staying in town and after work we decided to get some dinner. “There is a hibachi and sushi restaurant next to my hotel,” she said referring to Shiro of Japan. This was my first time at Shiro but certainly would not be my last. We opted for sushi and headed back to the sushi bar, passing the 18 hibachi tables.

You can’t just have sushi anywhere. Fresh ingredients really make the difference between filling just your appetite and “Oh my god, this is the best thing I’ve ever tasted.” I scanned the menu on my first visit and two things caught my eye, the Lobster Roll and the Millennium Roll. The Lobster Roll was fairly simple, an ordinary maki (roll) with lobster salad in the middle, and the Millennium Roll had jake (chopped shrimp and crab mixed with mayonnaise and fish egg) inside, shrimp and jake on the outside, and was lightly baked with a torch. Interestingly, I’m not a huge fan of lobster by itself and I’ve had lobster rolls before, none of which were anything great. But this night, as on every subsequent visit, I was in for something completely unexpected. I watched in awe as the sushi chef prepared my meal, a meal that was presented more as a work of art, and nothing less than culinary genius. And the taste… Well, imagine your favorite dish and try to remember the first time you took a bite; there you have Shiro.

Restaurateur Hiro Ishikawa introduced sushi to Long Island in 1979 with his first restaurant, Taiko, long before sushi popped up everywhere. His long experience in the industry, attention for detail and commitment to high-quality sushi and Japanese dishes has allowed him to create a dining experience that has resulted in people flocking to his restaurant. In 1980, Ishikawa started his own seafood distributing company to ensure only the highest quality and finest fish make the cut for his customers, customers who are treated like old friends, something that is clearly visible around the hibachi tables.

Hiro has been called upon by many celebrities to cater dinner when they’re in town. I remember one night sitting down and spotting model Carol Alt sitting next to me. Since my first visit I have been back so many times that I should own stock … so many times that there is never a need to place an order. The chefs see me, smile and chuckle, then proceed to make my rolls.

I approached Hiro to have him share his recipe for the incredible lobster roll with The Boulevard, but on second thought, I decided I’m selfish. So instead, Hiro shared another incredible dish, the nanbam-zuke, just a small sample of the creative genius that is Shiro of Japan.

Shiro of Japan

401 Old Country Rd
Carle Place, NY 11514
516.997.4770

80-40 Cooper Avenue
Glendale, NY 11385
718.326.8704

 www.shiroofjapan.com

For a great recipe from Shiro, click here.