When it comes to eating lunch during the week, I generally prefer to run out and pick up a sandwich or a salad from a restaurant that's within close proximity to my office in Midtown. Not for lack of an adventurous spirit, of course, but more to avoid having to navigate around crowds of people posing for pictures in Times Square or wandering through the Theater District or milling around Rockefeller Center. Should the occasion of eating lunch
out arise, then it's all about finding a restaurant that's relatively inexpensive and offers quick service.
Oftentimes, this involves a certain willingness to walk a little farther than usual.
Back when I still had "plenty of time" to take care of wedding planning details, my girlfriend and I squeezed a midweek lunch into our schedules to discuss potential bridesmaids' dresses and to celebrate her new job. We agreed to split the distance between our two offices and meet for sushi at Natsumi Restaurant on 50th Street. Upon my arrival, I admired Natsumi's modern and sleek design and decor -- something I've almost come to expect from Japanese restaurants -- from my seat at our table by the window.
Because it had been a while since we had seen each other in person, we only managed to order tea before we jumped into the catch-up portion of the conversation. Our server patiently returned to our table several times after we repeatedly told him that we needed "just a few more minutes" to look over the lunch menu.
I finally decided to order the
Three-Roll Maki Combo Lunch Special ($15.25), an ambitious move on my part since I normally have trouble finishing three rolls at dinner!
If you choose the
Maki Combo Lunch Special, you do have a surprisingly large variety of rolls to choose from. I opted for the
Yellow Tail Jalapeno Roll...
... the
Shrimp Asparagus Roll...
... and the
Salmon Avocado Roll. All were fresh and satisfyingly filling, and I appreciated that the kitchen didn't skimp on the jalapeno in the
Yellow Tail Jalapeno Roll or the avocado in the
Salmon Avocado Roll. It seems like such a small thing to nitpick about, but it really bothers me when sushi restaurants serve rolls that are mostly rice.
Natsumi provided a nice change of scenery and a nice change of pace. I'd be happy to walk outside of my typical lunchtime comfort zone to eat there again!
Natsumi Restaurant
226 West 50th Street
New York, NY 10019
(212) 258-2988 |
Online Reservations |
Map
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