Right here in our own backyard. New York City. Manhattan

The Best

You have so much to look forward to...

There’s a small restaurant on Lexington Ave., on the eastside, in the middle of the block between 39th and 40th sts. Go there. And you will discover an oasis, Sekku. Situated in this business-oriented district where often people have to eat on the run is Sekku--the ultimate transcendent eating-out experience. Some of the best sashimi Manhattan has to offer and for half the price of what you would pay at the fancier more trendy Japanese restaurants downtown. You may not rub elbows with any famous movie stars or rock stars there. It’s Lexington Ave., mid-town, the Grand Central area, not the hip Tribeca downtown scene, a little out of it, but it’s coming up...but it doesn’t really matter because what you have there is one of the best secrets in town. Sekku. This Japanese restaurant, quiet, clean, minimalist decor, done well, reflective of the good tastes of Sam, the owner, who has been running this restaurant for 17 years. Sometimes at lunch, you’ll see him behind the sushi counter. He’s one of the sushi chefs. He loves the restaurant business and you’ll feel that when you eat there. Mouth-watering. Tasty. Delicious. Authentic Japanese cuisine. I wish my Japanese grandmother, Grandma Kyoko, who raised me, were still alive. I would take her to Sekku. I grew up in northern California, on a farm, and we loved food. To eat was a Pleasure. Food was not just fuel for energy. I became a gourmet cook and my ex-husband likened my finicky tastes to his family’s Yorkshire terrier, Cricket. She would eat only the best. Anything less, she would turn up her nose. Perhaps all the pets in California’s affluent Marin County were spoiled. It is true. I would rather starve than let anything less than the best cross my plate. It’s not a question of expensive tastes. It’s simply taste. Sekku sustained me. I confess. I’m one of those people. I find food comforting. I discovered Sekku by chance in 1990, desperate to find an oasis, an excellent restaurant in the area. Food. A primary pleasure. A way to relax. I was working for a corporation located near Sekku, working those unbelievable long hours that now are standard in today’s working world. Sekku meant so much to me. The feel of the restaurant. The calming ambiance. Translated from the Japanese, Sekku means 4 seasons. I was such a regular. And I loved the food so much that even when I couldn’t take the time to eat there I would order take-out from the office. Somehow, Sam, the owner, found out my nickname at my job, "J.C." I no longer work in the area but when I can I don’t mind taking the subway or hopping in a cab to eat there. The food is worth the trip. Whenever I walk in to his restaurant, Sam still takes the time to greet me warmly--"Hi, J.C." The food there is so delicious, consistently meeting expectations. The sashimi, consistently, the freshest and of high quality. The green tea, you can taste the difference. Sam let me in on one of his secrets. He has such high standards. He didn’t trust the New York City water so he bought a special water filter from Japan, Kaiki-Sui. This attention to quality and detail does not go unnoticed. The tea, the food prepared with love and respect. Every plate brought to the table always artfully presented and by a very attentive staff, many have been there a long time. The added touches contribute to the sumptuousness of the meal. When you order the sashimi you not only get the usual accompaniment of the shredded white radish but also the surprise pleasure of delicious seaweed. Other Japanese restaurants in town don’t include that nice touch combination. Hmm--getting hungry for Sekku. The yellowtail, the freshest tasting in town. And the miso soup stands out. The dinner miso soup has those tiny special mushrooms added. And the meat always tastes of the best quality. Try the Pork Shoga. Delicious. Clean. And the sake and ginger sauce that the Pork Shoga is cooked with is so delicately tasty. The tempura is cooked just right, not oily. The batter, crispy, light. The shrimp always tastes fresh. The tempura dipping sauce, again light, some of the best in the city. Also highly recommended is the tatsuta-age appetizer. Marinated just right. The deliciously fried chicken morsels are both white and dark meat for those who miss the dark meat chicken which has become a rarity in restaurants these days. Taste the seafood curry, the superior quality of the sauce is again marked by its delicateness not heavy, lumpy. And the quality of the chicken teriyaki dish, a standard in many Japanese restaurants is excellent. Again you have the pleasure of tasting both the white and dark meat in a distinctively light not overly sweet teriyaki sauce. Sam uses only organic chicken, naturally fed and raised. So tender. And with the chicken teriyaki you have the nicely delicious touch of the yellow diakon radish garnish and a tiny sprinkling of black sesame seed on the gleaming hot white rice. So colorful to behold. Always the nice touches. And speaking of the rice. Such high quality. Superior standards. Always fresh, hot. Every Asian worships rice. We know freshness. My Japanese girlfriend Natsuko used to say that her family back home in Canada didn’t like to eat out because they worried that the rice would not be fresh. Not to worry with Sekku. Sekku’s rice always passes the test. Sad to say, many Asian restaurants you can taste the rice is not fresh. The cost of having a restaurant. The lease. The rising expenses. The Asian restaurant-goer suffers. You can taste it in the rice. Asians cannot be fooled. Sekku’s rice, fresh, hot, you will not be disappointed. The desserts also are special. Have the sliced fresh ripe sweet papaya. So delicious. Again behold the artful presentation. Lunch can be crowded. Others too have discovered Sekku. Praise-worthy, this out of the ordinary restaurant has built up a loyal lunch clientele. I no longer work in the area. But I still go out of my way to eat there. It’s worth it. Go there. You’ll be so happy. You won’t be disappointed. So satisfied. So content. The pleasurable dining experience. Tell Sam "J.C." sent you. By the way, Sam loves Asian Art. Once we ran into each other at the Asian Art Exhibit at the Armory. He reminds me when it’s coming up again. That time of year. Sekku. It’s the best. If you haven’t yet, discover Sekku. It’s the best.

Open Seven Days. Lunch Monday-Friday 12:00PM-2:45PM

Dinner Monday-Saturday 5:30PM-10:15PM

Sunday 5:30PM-9:45PM

343 Lexington Ave. (Bet. 39 and 40 Sts.)

New York, NY 10016

(212) 697-9020