Blue Ribbon Sushi - Park Slope

Sushi is everywhere in NY nowadays.  You can get cheap rolls from delis, and fairly tasty takeout from any of hundreds local sushi spots.  In many ways its become a commoditized part of our food culture. But if you're a sushi fan, there's nothing like treating yourself to an authentic sushi restaurant. There's probably a few dozen of such spots in the city, and at all, sushi is still treated as delicacy.  

Blue Ribbon Sushi's Park Slope outpost, definitely falls in this category.  The restaraunt is on the nicer side, but still inviting.  It's spacious and bright, with a long wooden sushi counter and  twenty or so tables and booths. I prefer sitting at the counter, to see the sushi chef in action, and for them to see your reaction when you try their creations.

The menu is extensive, with a number of hot dishes, dozens of appetizers, and an extensive assortment of rolls, sushi, and sashimi combinations.  The age dashi tofu was perfectly crispy and great hot dish to start with. Also tasty was the lightly seared bonito, with yuzu  

For the sushi, it's best to ask the waitress what's fresh that day and what's recommended from the page of daily sushi specials, but you can't really go wrong with whatever you pick.  There are some interesting rolls-  the salmon and ikura melted in your mouth. But overall I would say stick to individual sushi and sashimi over rolls.  The kanpachi (amberjack) was fresh and had great thick texture.  The special anago (sea eel) melted like butter, and is far tastier than the usual unagi available in most restaurants.  If you've never tried uni (sea urchin), this is a good place to start.  The botan ebi (shrimp) sushi came with the body raw and the head deep fried and edible, a nice combination.   To end the meal we had a maki roll with plum, cucumber and shiso. 

What Makes it Good:
It's  all about the quality of the fish, and the subtle flavors added

Know Before you Go:
- There can be a wait on weekends

- The sushi can add up, its not cheap

- There's a branch in Soho, but its not as good

Recommended Dishes:

- Age Dashi Tofu

- Salmon and Ikura Roll

- Spicy Lobster wrapped in Egg Sashimi

- Anago, Uni, and Botan Ebi Sushi

Blue Ribbon Sushi - 278 5th Avenue (bet. 1st Street and Garfield Place) - Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY 11215
718.840.0408