Tucked on 85th street behind an unassuming storefront is where I found the best Truffle Spicy Salmon roll.
While the truffle trend seemed to peak in 2013, when all the hot Brooklyn foodcentric spots were drizzling the musky nectar on their high-end food creations, it happens to STILL be peaking at Poke Restaurant on the Upper East Side.
It’s fair to think that if you’ve had one spicy salmon roll, you’ve had them all. But the “Truffle” on Poke’s special roll list will make you feel otherwise.
While truffle oil is often paired with creamy pasta dishes, dotted atop pizzas, or mixed into sauteed Brussels sprouts for a fancy twist, it’s rarely paired with spicy flavors.
Maybe it’s because I’m a sucker for the spicy-truffle combination, like you’ll see in my favorite Buffalo wing recipe, but I’ve eaten at a hundred sushi spots, and none offered me truffle in a casual roll.
Flavor
The fresh fish, mixed with their spicy sauce, balanced with the earthy perfume of truffle added a phenomenal depth of flavor I didn’t realize I was missing out on. The natural salinity of the salmon helps the truffle subtlety shine through a bit more.
I’ve always preferred a spicy tuna roll to a spicy salmon roll and was elated when the waitress said they could make it a Truffle Tuna roll upon request.
Presentation
Straight forward and nothing out of the ordinary, which is part of the charm. The flavor is the real draw.
FQ TIP: Poke is BYOB, so be sure snag a chilled bottle of dry rose to truly round off your Truffle Sushi experience.
Although there are countless sushi spots in the Upper East Side, many do not frequently have a 30 minute wait. And let’s be honest, many sushi spots in NYC offer zero “atmosphere.” But Poke figured out a way to create a sought-after subdued vibe, with a balanced menu of eclectic and traditional. Its gentle lighting and absence of gawky oversized tropical fish tanks makes its vibe more low key Soho than foofoo UES.
Poke ONLY accept CASH and encourages BYOB.
The place always makes me want to sip wine for a while, have a nice conversation, eat top notch fish dishes, sip more wine and ask the waitstaff if there are any off-menu offerings…
There are. But you’ll need to ask for yourself while trying the BEST Truffle Spicy Salmon [or tuna!] roll.
Poke Restaurant
343 East 85th Street
New York, NY 10028
(212) 249-0569
Check out some of my other favorite spots in NYC.