Aside from all Italian food but especially pizza, sushi is probably my second favorite food. In New York City there are all types of fancy places that are really expensive and you don’t even get that much unless you spend a fortune. I know places that charge upwards of $20 for a simple roll or should I say a specialty roll. You know one of those fancy rolls that are 3-4 times the price of a regular spicy tuna roll or something. That drives me nuts. However, there is one place I know that you get a ton of fish in each piece and the price is pretty average if not very reasonable. This place is Yama Sushi and it is my favorite sushi place in New York City.

I am not saying it’s the absolute best place because it’s hard to deny how good Nobu, Haru, Tomoe, Sushi of Gari and some of the other expensive places are, but Yama is the best quality for the money sushi I have ever had. There used to be four Yama’s in New York but now there are only two. The one I always go to is right in the West Village on Carmine between Bleecker and Varick. It’s about a 4 minute walk from my apartment and they deliver as well. In addition they take credit cards and they have a great outdoor garden that’s open when it’s nice out. It’s a great place to eat with a group of people. The other location is in Midtown East on 49th between First and Second.

Last night I went again and had the best spicy tuna rolls on the face of the planet I am convinced. They are huge pieces. When I say huge I mean a ton of fresh fish and a ton of rice. Inside out is the best way to get them but then sometimes you have to perform some surgery and take off some rice so you don’t get too full too quick. You need room to enjoy the soft shell crab rolls which are even more enormous. Truth is they are so big they’re difficult to get in your mouth. Add on some extra spicy mayo and low sodium soy sauce and you launched unless you spill all over yourself!

Yama has a few special rolls but not that badly priced. I am a creature of habit with sushi and my friends who eat at Yama with me are probably laughing because I pretty much only eat spicy tuna and tuna related rolls except for the soft shell crab. ‘I like eel’ and ‘crispy shrimpy’ are really popular and although I actually don’t like eel, they are said to both be excellent.

Additionally, they have great miso soup and edamame, not that that is so earth shattering as many places do but when you’re in Yama it just feels right. The décor is bland, very bland and that’s just the way a real sushi place should be. I hate those uber fancy places that charge a ton because they are so trendy when all you want is good sushi. Yama is no frills, just good food.

The Carmine location is the only one that takes reservations and the one uptown is pretty popular for business lunches and is trendier looking. I have been a few times as I used to work near there and it was never as good as the original.

Anyway, Yama Sushi on Carmine is terrific. It is pretty well known so if you just show up, you’ll probably have to wait a few and there is no bar but as far as bang for the buck goes, you can’t go wrong and I promise; you will never leave hungry, I guarantee that!

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