04.29.06
Snorting Wasabi
Never trust a junkie. I’d say that’s generally good advice. But the price of gas has gone through the roof, taking money straight out of my pocket, so l’ve been in the market for a less expensive sushi joint. Last night I had a guy in my cab who was clearly strung out on something, mostly not making much sense, but he did make one intriguing comment. He was telling me his sad life story when he said, “About ten years ago I had to give up my $200 a week coke habit because I picked up a $300 a week sushi habit.”
He had also apparently picked up a heroin or oxycotin habit since then. But I wondered where he got his sushi fix now that he clearly was spending the bulk of his money on drugs again. He admitted that he rarely ever goes for sushi anymore because he doesn’t have any spare cash. But this was a clever junkie. He told me he gets more than enough sushi at all-u-can-eat nights at Funayama on Greenwich Avenue.
I used to take my private car all the way down to Bensonhurst, Brooklyn to get all-u-can-eat sushi at one of the many competing Japanese spots along 86th Street and Bath Avenue. It was as cheap as $18 tax and tip included, but the sushi was merely average, and now that gas is more than $3 a gallon and the price of sushi went up a buck or two at all those places, it hardly seems worth it. So I took the junkie’s advice and stopped for an extended pit stop at Funayama on Greenwich Avenue.
Every Monday and Thursday nights Funayama serves all-u-can-eat sushi for $23.10 (I did not get a straight answer out of anyone there as to why the ten cents) which comes out to about $30 with tax and tip. I didn’t have time to really get my money’s worth the way I used to in Bensonhurst where I once ate fifty pieces of sushi spread out over a three hour period when a meal with a couple friends degenerated into an eating competition. But I did my best last night:
Just as they are at Yama (the restaurant Funayama spun off from), the negeri pieces are cut huge. And the oversized hand rolls compliment the massive pieces perfectly. The white tuna was not good, but nothing had to be spit out which is more than I could say for the first all-u-can-eat sushi I had in the Village about 8 years ago which had a 10 to 1 ratio of edible to inedible pieces. They charge you $3 for pieces you don’t eat so I had to pocket a couple pieces, but that’s all part of the cat and mouse game that goes on at all-u-can-eat sushi places. Once in Bensonhurst I had to hide an entire dragon roll in my miso soup.
All in all, Funayama was a pleasure. The negeri was fresh and moist, the seaweed and shrimp tempura maki came warm. And I spent the rest of the night in the cab gleefully stuffed. It probably doesn’t sound like much to you, but Funayma wins the prize for best restaurant recommendation by a junkie, and to a cabbie who has met more than his fair share of junkies, that’s saying something.
Funayama, Greenwhich Avenue btwn West 10th and Charles
Check out http://www.famousfatdave.com for a chuckle or to book an eating tour
megnut said,
May 2, 2006 at 6:57 pm
Funayama is one of my favorites! I don’t usually go for the all-you-can-eat nights because it’s more than I can really eat. But there stuff is so big and so cheap that it’s my go-to delivery sushi. Glad you liked it!
Adam B said,
May 5, 2006 at 8:03 am
A few months ago, I would have balked at the notion of a $300 a week sushi habit. Then I went on a date to a gourmet sushi restaurant and ended up spending $200 for the both of us, so now I sympathize with the guy. Figuratively, great Sushi is worse than crack… but literally Shushi is much better than crack.
Nani said,
May 5, 2006 at 8:04 am
Dear Famous Fat Dave,
I predict a FoodNetwork show in your future. Good writing on this blog–one of the very few blogs where I felt compelled to catch up on the old posts, being the new reader that I am.
By the way, the study abroad in Florence–would that happen to be La Pietra, the villa?
~Nancy
Eileen said,
May 5, 2006 at 8:05 am
Dave, I agree about Food Network. I’m a FN fan and you would fit right in. Good luck and keep up the great blog.
Natalie said,
May 5, 2006 at 8:06 am
I know out here in CA it is common for lunch menus to be significantly cheaper than dinner menus. Now at all you can eat sushi places that also means they don’t put out ALL of their stuff, but you want sushi, you want sushi! I love reading your blog. Makes me hungry. I agree with the other commenter in that you would do great on Food Network. If I had cable or some such thing I would definitely watch!
Sam said,
May 8, 2006 at 7:58 am
I like your stories (which must show since I’m reading back into your old entries), which is why I feel compelled to tell you that the type of sushi is spelled “nigiri.” “Negeri” would be pronounced a different way. Sorry to say I was originally planning to drop in (very often) to read your stories as entertainment anonymously (stalk?). haha.
Also, the fakness factor of the sushi actually makes them look like the plastic food models that Japanese restaurants put as display. =P
The Hungry Cabbie: The Eating Adventures of a NYC Yellow Cabbie » Stuffed To The Gills said,
September 22, 2006 at 1:09 am
[...] All-you-can-eat sushi makes some people nervous. But it just makes me excited. Check out the “Tracts” section of Not For Tourists Guidebook’s New York page for a long, sole-searching piece I wrote on a magical neighborhood deep in Brooklyn where all-you-can-eat sushi is a way of life: [...]
mona said,
September 24, 2006 at 7:03 pm
“Once in Bensonhurst I had to hide an entire dragon roll in my miso soup. ”
LOL that is hilarious.
Guilty! All you can eat sushi makes me nervous…
…but the sushi doesn’t look that bad in your pictures.
Keep on the eating, your blog’s great!