Bisutoro

Fairly new restaurant? Check.
Reputable staff they might’ve heard of? Morimoto, check.
Diverse menu (seafood, pork, noodle, rice)? Check.
Solid drink options (wine for parentals, whiskey cocktails for me)? Check.
For our parents’ first meeting, the only thing left to address was… who was going to settle the bill? I didn’t want it to get ugly (you know Asian parents) so my family arrived 30 minutes early and Katie the hostess kindly took my credit card in advance (as well as our coats) — I know I know, sneaky!
We stepped into the bi-​level trendy restaurant with red lighting and red curtains to match, accentuating the bold, urban art (think: graffiti, tattoo prints) adorning the walls. Wow, this was not what we expected.
Aside from the Uni Carbonara and the Sake Mussels with spicy lobster broth (they skimped out on the mussels), the rest of the food (e.g. hamachi sashimi, baked oysters, tonkatsu, sake mussels, miso sea bass, spiced roast chicken) was lackluster. For dessert, the chestnut crepes and brownie sandwich with mochi were too ordinary and the lemongrass crème brûlée was too unusual for me (but was executed perfectly). Heck, I would skip the food entirely and just come for the Japanese whiskey.
Service was lovely, albeit a bit underexperienced in terms of transitioning between courses, pouring wine, and laying out new utensils. (Making four trips to put out our forks and spoons, and still missing my father’s set, is not okay.) It may also have been the awkward seven-​person table arrangement.
Overall, while the food sounded creative on paper, there was no «wow» factor in the taste to make Bisutoro stand out among all the other Asian fusion restaurants in the city. I was grateful to the staff for a smooth first dinner, but when the «unz unz» music was turned up at 10PM, it’s our cue to leave.
Notes:
— Bisutoro was Morimoto’s revamp of Tribeca Canvas with new compadres. On January 10, 2014, Morimoto announced that he had left Bisutoro to focus on his own «empire» and the restaurant was closing again.
— 2 co-​ed bathrooms. walls were decorated with panels of what looked like a tattoo sample board of Japanese related insignias e.g. koi, dragons, geishas, tigers, etc.
— had wine/​beer list, japanese whiskey cocktails, classic cocktails, and others on their drinks menu

Fantastic food! Uni Carbonara was delicious.

Reserved for 4 on Open Table before going out on NYE. It was pretty empty, so that had me wondering at first, especially since the last place that was here apparently didn’t work out.
We went in and were served pretty quickly. I didn’t know what drink to get, so the staff was very accommodating and friendly, offering their personal opinions. I received the drink and it was awesome. My bf had the «Lost in Translation» and it definitely would’ve had you lost if you didn’t pace yourself. Needless to say, the drinks were strong, but great– especially for NYC prices.
There was a prix fixe menu, so there was a limited selection but we weren’t disappointed. The only thing was that the desserts were really heavy (we had the chocolate cake and crème brûlée); so we were unable to finish any of it, but that was something minor compared to the rest of our experience here. Even when we had questions, the staff was able to answer everything we wanted to know about each dish.
Cool atmosphere, neighborhood gem; glad I put my skepticism away and gave the place a chance– with less people there, the staff was able to serve us in a friendly manner.

Came here on a chilled weekend night out. It’s the same chef from Morimoto, a restaurant which we absolutely love! The food is completely different, simple, but so good! Worth the go.

Loved coming here for my birthday. Awesome vibe, very good food and the staff is very friendly. Would definitely come back. Order the ice cream for dessert!

Came here for NYE dinner before a night out… And we were the only ones in the restaurant. Period. This definitely scared me a bit, however, we were sort of out of options having not planned ahead. So… How as it?
Food: I don’t know if it’s because we were the only ones there or because the menu was limited selection allowing the kitchen to focus, but the food was pretty good. It would have been great if not for some minor executional flaws (slightly overcooked duck breast, etc.)
Drinks: Not great. Not bad, not amazing and DEFINITELY not worth the price. Also, the drink menu lists Keegan Ales Mother’s Milk as coming from Saratoga Springs, NY. The brewery is based in Kingston, NY… about 1.5 hours south of Saratoga Springs. Another small thing but I expect restaurants to know where their products come from.
Service: This is really where this place fell down, in my opinion. Our waiter came off as very pretentious and couldn’t answer simple questions about the menu. When we pointed out a real issue on one of the dessert plates he was flippant at best. Dude, we’re the ONLY ones in the restaurant… take the snobbery down a notch and try to create loyal customers.
Atmosphere: Not really my taste but well done and decorated for the style. I’m neutral.
Three stars because I really believe that with some work this place could be great… It’s just not there yet.

Came in with the knowledge that the previous iteration of the restaurant (Tribeca Canvas) failed. Also came in with the knowledge that Bisutoro opened up last month and has had average/​below average reviews. I love Morimoto and really wanted to like this place since I live down the street.
Bisutoro proceeded to underwhelm and disappoint me in every way possible.
Food: The tonkatsu is a giant, giant (giant) slab of tough, pounded fried pork (which is the exact opposite of the light, fried Japanese version that it’s intended to be). It was accompanied by a side of kimchi which was so poor. I don’t know how you can get away with having such bad kimchi – kimchi is really delicious, even if you mess it up. It was shocking that it was so bad. Sort of soggy, no flavor, no sweetness, no crunch to the cabbage, no kick at all.
The wagyu burger (medium rare) was also very tough and really sloppy to eat. Grease was pouring down the outside of my hand. Wiping it with my dinner towel wouldn’t suffice. I needed to excuse myself to wash my hands after the meal because my hands were drenched in grease.
Appetizers were pretty good: had the Spicy tuna roll, the hamachi and the carpaccio. No complaints.
Drink: Their signature Lost in Translation drink – an old fashioned, basically, for $ 16. No crafted ice block (it’s served neat), no fruit, no shake, not even a straw. I think they pour the whiskey and three liqueurs together, stir it, and charge $ 16 for it. Kind of disappointing for their «best» drink.
Atmosphere: Struggle décor. Poor graffiti spray paint design all over the walls. Sad Xmas tree in the corner surrounded by four wine bottles. Lights were dimmed way too much in the middle of our meal – we were eating our meals in the dark. Also, (nitpicking, obviously), but the hot/​cold faucet levers in the bathroom are swapped – for why???
Everything was very expensive. Dropped around $ 85 per person for a party of four. Wouldn’t do it again.

This is a pretty cool spot, very nice atmosphere and relaxing. Also has a sense of privacy at your table given how big the room was. Fries were pretty good, although beer and food was a little pricey. Definitely worth it if you’ve got the means. Staff was nice, attentive, and very professional.

I’ve eaten here twice. The first time I was alone. I asked for a table for one and they told me I had to sit at the bar. Not ideal, but whatever. I ordered three apps and a cocktail. The bartender was very attentive and congenial. I had the spicy tuna on crispy sushi rice, the chicken udon and the short rib buns.
The spicy tuna, a take on a dish that many sushi restaurants are serving, was very good. It is fancied up just enough to make it stand out from other chefs’ versions. The Udon was strange and under seasoned. I was very disappointed because it was such an interesting concept. The short rib buns were excellent.
The second time I went was a little different. I took several colleagues there after work. We ordered the tuna on my recommendation. The rice was soggy and not crispy, causing the whole dish to literally fall apart. I complained. The manager came over, and after going out of her way to let us know that she had just had a glass of wine at the bar (inexcusable) she took the dish off of our bill and offered us a round of drinks. Later, four of the five drinks from the round still appeared on our bill.
I had the Waygu steak frites. The frites were made from Japanese potatoes, so they were starchy and almost chalky. The steak was UNSEASONED. As in NO salt. It was smothered in a compound butter that might have been flavorful had there been any salt. The cut was like no Waygu I’ve ever had. It was so gristly that it was hard to cut. Giant blobs of chewy fat and a seam of elastin running through the middle of it. It was barely eatable.
The waiter was awesome and fixed the bill until we were satisfied. Hence the second star.

Not a native New Yorker I chose this restaurant from the Eater list not really understanding the location. As it turns out for our group coming from the Upper West Side to Tribeca was a haul. We originally had a party of six which was extended to eight. This turned out to be almost too much for the place to handle table wise. We ended up with very in cohesive table setup that lead to a division of conversation. The bartenders were very nice and personable. They joked around with us and explained a few of the drinks. I enjoyed the funky décor of tattoos and dark colors.
As I mentioned, our party had expanded to eight. However, one of our guests had to leave and ultimately was not allowed back in the restaurant due to intoxication. We caused a scene and proved a bit problematic. However, once things had calmed down our waiter handled our orders and questions expertly.
Most of our party ordered beers. I was disappointed they were out of our first selection. The waiter was able to explain the style and flavors of the beers which I enjoyed. Most places that serve more wine and mixed drinks tend to have less emphasis on good beers and the wait staff usually has no idea how to explain the beer styles. However, here that was not the case. When looking at the menu I felt drawn to most of the appetizers over the main dishes. We went with the waiter’s suggestion of Mushroom Onion Soup Dumplings. They came out four to a plate. The dumplings were warm and burst in your mouth with a warm mushroom broth. The dumpling was steamed perfectly for the right amount of softness and stickiness. However, they were a bit flat and fell apart easily. For an entrée I ordered the Miso Sea Bass. The portion was huge. This was refreshing compared to many fish dishes that seem to be more vegetable than fish. The bass is served on a bed of kale and topped with fried gobo for some crunch. The flavor of the kale was nice, but almost too much and I do not enjoy soggy kale, just my preference. The fish flay was a bit salty including the fried gobo but broke apart nicely and melted in your mouth. My boyfriend couldn’t keep his fork off my plate. My boyfriend ordered the Uni Carbonara with the pancetta on the side. It was a large portion of thin noodles in a think sauce. The Quail Egg and Uni on top are small and in proportionate compared to the amount of pasta. The sauce was thick and a little bland. From the rest of the table the Wagyu Burger turned out to be the favorite.
The next time we visit family in NYC I wouldn’t mind returning to try other dishes, that is if we are in the area. I would not make a special trip again just to try the restaurant.
Given that the restaurant put up with our large party and demands as well as the waiter being very knowledge about the food and drink and overall the food had nice flavors and good size portions I have the place three stars.

burger was pretty good… better than most normal restaurants but i bet you i can find a better burger for the same price elsewhere! drinks are great. Edamame has really good seasoning. Service is very algorithmic but friendly.

Drinks were good, food was bad.
Crab and avocado tasted like mayo and avocado — not crab
Burger had too much sauce, was small, tasted like an average burger — not a $ 19 burger, dont bother when theres a McDonalds a few blocks away.
One of my fries tasted like Play-​Doh, which I still eat occasionally
the Dumplings were OK.

Excellent drinks. Service was very good and efficient. Properly seasoned portions and well presented.

Tribeca is usually a land of which I don’t venture to often for many reasons. One of which is Mitt Romney quote comes to mind. Overpriced trendy restaurants not catering to the other 47%.
Bisutoro is a nice looking restaurant and ambiance transformed from its previous incarnation of Tribeca Canvas. It isn’t too loud or too dark. The brick wall and mix of wood and reds has a nice comfortable feel to the dining area as groups of people sipping drink and enjoying dainty bites of food.
We had reservations that night and quickly brought to our table once everyone arrived. During the wait we sat at the bar. Apparently, one of the server was his first day and couldn’t answer any of the inquiry about the drinks!
So to start, the table ordered the Short Ribs Buns (2 buns to be exact) and Chicken Karage which looked like chicken McNuggets. I guess the 53% doesn’t like bones. As for the entrée of Uni Carbonara and Miso Sea Bass to share for 3 people. The sauce was creamy smooth and well flavored. The pasta al dente. The Uni. Oh where’s the Uni? Oh there’s the whole 2 oz dollop of it. Considering I just walked by Chinatown seafood selling Sea Urchins 3 for $ 5, we thought maybe splurge and give 4oz? The Sea Bass was equally finely crafted. Light, flaky and plated as though it was made for the bowl.
While I can’t say we were stuffed leaving. What I can say is the food was satisfying but left us wanting a bit more, like maybe 30% more. Maybe the 47% are ruffians and just take and take without give back but at $ 80 a pop I think I gave plenty.

Honestly very disappointing. Very simple things like good cocktails or proper seasoning (maybe they ran out of salt?) were not done well. I would have given only 1-​star except for a particularly good chicken (if you go — and you shouldn’t — get the chicken). Take a pass IMHO.

My friend and I arrived at Bisutoro at 7:30pm on a Thursday night after having easily made reservations on Opentable the week before. The restaurant is dimly lit, with a dark red and black interior decorated with some interesting artwork on the wall, such as a giant graffiti-​esque mural by the bar. The left side of the restaurant has mostly larger round tables for groups, the right side has a long cushioned bench and mostly two-​tops, and there is also a staircase leading to a small upstairs dining area. The restaurant was about half full when we arrived, and we were seated along the cushioned bench side.
To start, we split the mushroom onion soup dumplings appetizer. The dumplings were not the round Chinese kind that I was expecting; instead, they were longer and flatter, with very thin skin. The mushrooms, separate from the dumplings, were fried with panko bread crumbs and served in the center of the plate with kabocha purée. The dumplings were all right, but I liked the mushrooms a lot more– they had a fuller, more buttery flavor. Overall, I don’t think I liked the dish enough to want to order it again.
For my main course, I ordered the uni carbonara. For this dish, you can pick between appetizer size ($ 17) or entrée size ($ 22). The way the server described the appetizer size made it seem pretty small, so I went with the bigger one… even after having eaten a pre-​dinner snack and half the soup dumplings, the entrée was perfectly finishable. The carbonara combined with the angel hair pasta was creamy but not too heavy. The pasta was topped with tiny bacon bits, pieces of nori, and, of course, the uni. It was a pretty good dish, and I would recommend this one.
I also tried a bite of my friend’s wagyu burger, which he’d gotten medium rare, and it also tasted good, though it wasn’t a very large burger. The wasabi flavor in the wasabi aioli wasn’t too strong. It also came with a side of fries and this sauce that tasted a bit like a very mild version of Tabasco.
The service was wonderful throughout dinner — our server regularly checked up on us, refilled our water, and cleared our plates promptly. I hope to come back in the future to try some of the other interesting looking dishes on their menu.

The cocktails were good, enjoyed the Japanese whiskey cocktails.
The burger was fine, nothing special. The wasabi aioli that they put on the burger was good and unique, but I only really tasted it in one bite; it would have been a lot better had they used more, or put some extra on the side.
The plates that the burger was served on were not completely cleaned, they had streak marks on them.
Service was poor. Took about 10 minutes to get the waitress’s attention to order a drink in between ordering our food and our meal coming out. I started with looking over, then waving, then finally walked over to get her to stop talking to the hostess and actually wait on her table. No other staff noticed me throughout this time either.

Tribeca Canvas’s face lift, this restaurant has new décor and a new menu. I like the graffiti filled walls but not so much the body tattoos. The staff is very friendly.
We really liked the spicy tuna crunchy rice sushi appetizer. Nicely and intricately prepped dish reminiscent of Morimoto’s style. Very beautiful, unique and flavorful. The rock crab and avocado is another very flavorful dish. The crunchy thin crisps add a nice texture to the crab and avocado. I recommend trying both. The tonkatsu is a good portion of pork. The mash potatoes meshed well with this entrée. The sauce is smoky and has great depth as well. But the show stopper was hands down the uni carbonara. Creamy, al dente noodles, quail egg-​topped and filled with nice pieces of uni, this dish is what will bring me back to Bisutoro. We could not get enough of it. All the ingredients melded in perfect harmony. This dish is a must!
For dessert we had the chestnut crepes. Sadly, the chestnut paste tasted a bit artificial. I am a big fan of chestnut and was a bit turned off that fresh chestnut was not used. The chocolate cake was very, very rich but a bit dry. The mochi center has a marshmallow flavor. Not a fan of marshmallow and was hoping it was just the plain mochi used. Almost impossible to cleanly cut through the cake and sticky mochi so it is nicely presented but hard to eat the cake and mochi together. The flavor is there and concept unique to try this dessert.
I hope this restaurant is able to be a permanent staple in the area. It has some unique dishes and is casual dining and a relaxing atmosphere which is great for the area. If you haven’t given this place a try yet, come check it out!

I came here again tonight with a couple of my girlfriend just to get a couple of drinks. The bartender was extremely knowledgeable about all the drinks and completely me away. I told him exactly what I was going for and he nailed it the first try! extremely personable hate those bartenders to have nothing to say or have an attitude. oh yeah and extremely good-​looking I think his name is Sam!

I was one of the two people in the world that really enjoyed my meal at Tribeca Canvas, so I was excited to try this new joint from Morimoto in the same exact location replacing his unfortunately short-​lived previous venture.
They scrapped the entire menu in favor of more traditional types of Japanese dishes, and changed the décor completely. It’s still a similar low-​lit, classy atmosphere, and is very nice for drinks or a good date night.
There are so many great-​sounding appetizers and entrees, so it was tough to narrow it down to just the 3 appetizers and 2 mains we got:
— Spicy Tuna with crispy sushi rice ($ 14)
This was definitely the best bite of the night, which is just more evidence that Morimoto should probably stick to what he does best at his original restaurant. You get six pieces of beautifully presented slabs of crispy rice topped with a generous amount of spicy tuna, wasabi tobiko and other nice-​looking garnishes.
— Crisp Chicken Noodles ($ 15)
These are neither crisp nor chicken, discuss… This was an interesting dish that I think I might have enjoyed more before they poured the ramen broth over it. It consists of a small portion of what look like those crispy takeout noodles, but are actually made out of chicken. With every second that passed after they poured on the broth at the table, the strips got soggier and soggier. The first few bites were pretty tasty, but I wasn’t enjoying it as much by the end. It was also super salty from the rich ramen broth.
— Short Rib Buns ($ 12 for 2)
These were ok. Pretty standard take on buns, and short rib always tastes good, but nothing amazing here.
— Uni Carbonara ($ 17 for appetizer portion)
This was delicious. Super thin, like angel hair pasta, with a small amount of uni on top, along with the expected egg and bacon. It was rich and creamy like a good carbonara should be, and was definitely one of the best things we got.
— Tonkatsu ($ 26)
This was pretty tasty, but a little outrageously priced for what it is. It’s a pretty large piece of thinly pounded pork chop, with some spicy kimchee and a little dollop of potato purée on top. Not to sound like one of those, but it was miles away from the great tonkatsu I had in Tokyo, and practically 3 times as expensive. This was a tasty and unique dish, but I kind of wish I tried the more straightforward Wagyu Burger or Steak Frites instead.
— Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Mochi
This was an awesome dessert. They had two other options the waitress mentioned, but this was clearly the best one (one of them was a crêpe with hazelnut cream, and I didn’t quite catch the last one. Get a dessert menu, please). This was less like a cake, and more like a cool take on an ice cream sandwich. You get three pairs of chocolate brownies with a tasty piece of vanilla mochi sandwiches between each one. There are also beautiful minty chocolate flowers adorning the plate, making this dessert as nice to look at as it is to eat. I don’t know how much this one cost, as they were nice enough to comp us dessert since we were celebrating my birthday.
The service here was really top notch, which definitely elevated the experience, as the food was really good, but wasn’t especially memorable. Everyone was super friendly and very polite, including the manager who also gave us a free drink. Our water was filled constantly, and the food came out quickly and well-​timed.
I hope this one lasts longer than Tribeca Canvas. I would like to come back to try the burger, and maybe the Chicken Karaage from the bar menu.