Long-winded

2) Sugiyama vs. Peter Luger's. When I was a kid, I had favorite types of food. That's not really the case anymore; I'll occassionally be in the mood for something but somewhere along the college trek I lost pretty much all of my strict, all-time preferences. So what this won't be is a "I like steak better than seafood/fusion, or vice-a-versa."


Sugiyama is the underdog here. Peter Luger's, the 800 lb gorilla of NY steak houses, the winner of best steakhouse from Zagat for 20 years in a row, fathering more spin-offs than a rooster in a henhouse, its reputation does all the work for it ahead of time, kind of like a celebrity at a bar picking up women. The food was delicious, the atmosphere and service were no-nonsense no frills. By the end of the meal, besides being the most full since I was last at Becco's, I ended up reaching the same conclusion about Luger's that two of my exceptionally discriminating foodie co-workers had reached separately: it's a pilgrimage you can't leave the city without making, but it's not worlds apart from other high-end steak houses in the city. And I'm not comparing Luger's to non-porterhouse powerhouses like Del Frisco's or BLT prime, I'm talking more about the spin-offs. All of the steakhouses on the Luger circuit are good, and you're not "settling" by going to Wolfgang's (where there's more selection for the sides) or one of the other "satellite locations" in Manhattan. I'd say it's a testament to the original Luger's more than anything else, and since the other stops on the circuit are easier for me to get to when I get the steak craving, I'm happy to give those places my business.

Then there's Sugiyama, a place that does kaiseki style dining, the only choice you get is how many courses you want. The meal is just as much about the experience and presentation as the amazing food, the journey through the food jungle with the chef leading the safari. That being said, you aren't paying for the scenery in the restaurant (as opposed to somewhere like Sushi Samba) - the place is very austere, small, and low key. There's certain meal features that catch you off guard, the mini-crabs, the hot stones, the crazy attention to detail. You'll end your journey pleasantly full but not stuffed.

With Luger's you know exactly what you're getting ahead of time, and it's exactly what you came for. With Sugiyama, the variety, twists and turns are never predictable. The contrast ends up being a metaphor for life in general.

I'd like to reaffirm my "conviction buy" rating on two places I went back to recently - Cantoon Garden in Chinatown and Ocean Jewel out in Flushing for dim-sum. If you haven't tried these places, you have no excuse because they're dirt cheap and top-notch at what they do.

Places I'd like to try (aka the "Ellis Island" Roster):
Mexican: Maya, Rosa Mexicana
BBQ: Blue Smoke
Steakhouses: Ben and Jack's, Dylan Prime
Japanese: Yasuda, Tomoe
American: Market Table
Fish and Chips: A Salt and Battery
Italian: Babbo's, Il Mulino