Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar and Grill - New York, NY: Strategically located on Columbus Circle by the Times Warner Building, Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar and Grill is an upscale Japanese eatery that is open until 2AM for fancy nocturnal binges. The front of Blue Ribbon Sushi restaurant is a bar with seating and a narrow hallway with additional seating that takes you back to the main dining area. An inviting sushi bar along a wall becomes the focal point of attention. The ambiance is intrinsically Japanese, with light wood tables and chairs and soft lighting accentuating the intimate dining experience. Jazz and lounge music played in the background. The clientele was mainly upmarket patrons sharply dressed in a suit and tie or in trendy shirts and jeans (mostly in their 30’s and 40’s).

The menu was delectable with a good variety of maki rolls. Sashmi ranged from $4.50 to $5.25 a piece. Maki rolls are priced from $6.50 (for the California roll with crab stick) to $26.00 (for the Blue Ribbon roll with lobster and black caviar). Most were six pieces between the $10-$13 range. The wine list was impressive, with a decent listing of both reds and whites in the New World and Old World regions. We decided on a Catalina Sounds Chardonnay from Marlborough region in New Zealand, which acted as a perfect complement to our dinner. The food was strictly average. The sashimi was fresh but regular stuff, nothing exceptional. The rolls didn’t impress me either, although the shrimp tempura surprised me with its freshness and delectable flavours.

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Service was nothing to write home about, pretty average and not visibly personalized. The interest of the waiters was constantly fluctuating and to get their attention was a chore.

Overall, Blue Ribbon serves as a good destination for a quick bite, especially if you are looking for some late in the evening dining options. The prices are a bit steep compared to the quality and portioning-specifically the sashimi and the rolls. I recommend it only for late-night diners for the convenience of their closing hour. If you are interested purely in good Japanese food, there are a whole lot of other places to go to before you get around to trying Blue Ribbon.

What I liked: The setting, the Shrimp Tempura and the opening hours

What I didn’t like: The average Japanese fare along with its unreasonable pricing and portions

Rating: Between Bombastic and Not

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