Omakase Menu
Hamachi
Madai
Botan Uni
Ikura
Zuke Akami
Chu Toro
O Toro Caviar: this was probably my favorite (as expected).
Hotate
Saba
Kampachi
Salmon
Unagi
Toro Hand-roll
I was comparing this to Takumi the whole time since it was my last omakase in NYC. Basically, from a food perspective, the fundamentals are more solid at Shinn West while the highs are higher at Takumi. Additionally, I’d give the entire experience award to Takumi—the ambiance was odd at Shinn West. The house lights were so bright, it felt more like when you’re setting up a restaurant before opening rather than when you’re actually presenting it to customers. For the first ten minutes, I was the only patron, and then I was joined by one pair of people—it was just the three of us for the rest of my time at the restaurant. Almost entirely empty at 6pm on a Friday… isn’t that a bit strange? I’ve heard about Shinn East/West way more than Takumi, but they had five times as many people in their restaurant. The music was odd, too. Top 40 hits, but stuck in 2008. They played Baby by Bieber, Monster by Eminem. The vibe, the music, the free sake, definitely puts Takumi above, plus certain bites there were more memorable. But that’s not to denigrate Shinn West. The omakase was very solid and incredible for the price.