Picasso restaurant on 5th Ave= excellent

Can we take this thread down? I honestly didn't intend it all to go this way and I hate to think my stupid thread is going to impact this fledgling new restaurant.

Please, just take it down? Thanks.

Anonymous wrote: Can we take this thread down? I honestly didn't intend it all to go this way and I hate to think my stupid thread is going to impact this fledgling new restaurant.

Please, just take it down? Thanks.

Sorry, but it doesn't work that way. But don't worry. If your restaurant is really good, more people will ultimately post here and say that (look what happened to the thread about Deacon Blue for an example of this).

I still order from Beet despite their shilling. "Beet is not suck."

just what the Slope needed....another sushi place.....nice chairs, though....

People, come on. Taro sushi is one block away on Dean st & F-bush, and is a contender for best sushi in all of brooklyn! And the prices are decent. It will be a shame if Picasso takes business from an obviously superior place.

I must check out Taro. I was somewhat put off by them accumulating 24 points in their last health inspection, but they seem to have fixed most of them now. As for Picasso, me lady went there the other night and found them pretty solid. Blog-pimping link to a review, as ever, and begging your pardon, below:

http://gumbyfresh.blogspot.com/2006/12/fish-talez.html

Okay, wait...so at 1:54am on 12/3 Guest says in the original post "I was kind of afraid because it's "Asian fusion" and that can often be sketchy, but I went there tonight and it was soooooo good!!!" and then at 10:16PM on 12/3, less than 24 hours later, the same Guest is giving us delivery advice and is on a first name basis with the delivery guy?!? and admiring his "little legs?" PUH-LEASE!

Somebody is a liar liar, their pants being on fire.

I'm going to give this place a try at the weekend. Will report back.

I'm against any kind of fusion unless it's Cuban-Chinese. I don't think any sushi place/chef will beat Taro. Sano has too much pride to let that happen.

I'm one of the few people left in the world (of the yuppie variety) who don't like sushi.

Idlewild, where did you have the Cuban-Chinese fusion food?

W.72nd between Broadway and Amsterdam on the North side of the street. I've been going there since H.S. I saw another one in Sunset Park on 5th Ave around the mid to high 40's.

chino cubano is one of the most fantastic 20th century fusion cuisines. the crossover is amazing, and there are a lot of traditional dishes that both cuisines claim that are incredibly similar. for instance, white rice topped with a fried pork chop and a fried, sunny-side-up egg - side of sauteed greens and pork hash. delicious - in a cuban restaurant in miami beach or a chinese restaurant in manhattan's chinatown.

alafairnadia wrote: chino cubano is one of the most fantastic 20th century fusion cuisines. the crossover is amazing, and there are a lot of traditional dishes that both cuisines claim that are incredibly similar. for instance, white rice topped with a fried pork chop and a fried, sunny-side-up egg - side of sauteed greens and pork hash. delicious - in a cuban restaurant in miami beach or a chinese restaurant in manhattan's chinatown.

I must try it!!! I don't eat pig though but I'm sure they have plenty of non-pork dishes, right? Well I already know that the Chinese do. I'm partial to shrimp

shrimp, garlic and black beans - the chinese and the cubans excel at that combo. half the time, they look the same. delish.

Yum, yum. You have made me feel hungry. I'm off to raid the fridge

can anyone recommend ior suggest any good joint serving chino-cubano...like a palomilla steak and fried rice with maduros...yummm

Hey guest, since you OBVIOUSLY works for the restaurant , please send the menu to [email hidden] and I'll get it up on the site like so fast!

Cuban/Chinese (aka Chino-Latino) restaurants are generally run by people from Cuba who are ethnically Chinese. They places don't really serve fusion food, because they don't tend to mix the 2 cuisines. Rather, they typically have examples of both cuisines on the menu. And the Cuban stuff is usually way better than the Chinese stuff.

I walked by Picasso for the first time on Monday night... barely a single person inside. I have to say -- and I've said it before -- the name and the font chosen really work against the place. Mixergirl said it above: the name just doesn't tell you anything about the place. Plus, they chose the weirdest, most basic "paintbrush" font for the signs. I completely admit to being totally under the spell of good marketing... if you can't successfully imagine a concept for your business, why should I trust you to feed me?

I have to agree. I live a block away from Picasso and have walked by hundreds of times. I sometimes stop and look at the menu and keep going. With all the Japanese dining options on 5th Ave, there are others more appealing. My girlfriend and I (along with friends) tend to go to NANA. Also, I've noticed that the Japanese/sushi place on the corner of Bergen and 5th (I don't remember the name) has been closed for more than a few weeks. There was never more than two or three people in at a time, which swayed us to some of the other options. I wonder what will go in that spot. Hopefully not another Japanese restaurant. There are plenty.

The Bergen/Fifth joint always seems to be stumbling from one struggling Japanese incarnation to another. I used to dash over for noodles in the middle of a session at O'Connor's. Not bad, but not compelling, since no Japanese restauarant ever got rich just selling to drunk people. They used to own the site of the Black Sheep and sell alcoholic bubble tea there. I think anyone in need of cult sushi goes to Taro. Nana's food is good, but I've found the service to be epically bad.

I remember the bubble tea place that is now Black Sheep. I never had a problem with Nana's service but, come to think of it, it did take a little longer to get the check the other night. Nana is the summer destination because of the backyard dining. Otherwise, Taro, absolutely Taro.

Subject: DON'T JUDGE THE PLACE BY ITS OUTLOOK

Hey mixergirl i got u the answer the name PICASSO came from. There's a TRIGGERFISH NAME IS PICASSO first of all the second reason is their CHEF'S creativity for the presentation of the meals make him an artist like PICASSO plus if u try it already and the food is great why bother so much for the outlook, as long as the food is good, the place make you feel comfortable to enjoy ur meals and the server is attentive to u that's good enough.

I went to Picasso once cause Taro was overfull and it was perfectly fine but unremarkable.

On the other hand I went to Taro last weekend and it was phenomenal. I've been there a few times before (got Omakase once), but this time was just amazing, and with just ordinary fish.

Nana I love for its "special" rolls rather than the quality of its fish; they are the two poles – the former for overdoing it in a tasty and cheap way and the latter when I'm feeling kinda purist.

Picasso, whatever its merit (and horrible name), gets left behind.

Subject: Re: DON'T JUDGE THE PLACE BY ITS OUTLOOK

starangel wrote: Hey mixergirl i got u the answer the name PICASSO came from. There's a TRIGGERFISH NAME IS PICASSO first of all the second reason is their CHEF'S creativity for the presentation of the meals make him an artist like PICASSO plus if u try it already and the food is great why bother so much for the outlook, as long as the food is good, the place make you feel comfortable to enjoy ur meals and the server is attentive to u that's good enough.

Wow. THAT izz really AN unusual POST!

Forget the quality of the food. The cheese-ball decor and name are enough to suck the soul out of any self-respecting diner.

Subject: bleh

i was scared to even try the place, unsure of what Asian FusionS stood for...anyhow, sick, lazy and craving some tom yum soup, i order some to go (I live down the street). worst soup ever. perhaps a fusion of thai and bland? i can't say but i'm not even tempted to try much else.

p.s. i'm a kinda picky when it comes to asian food....being that i'm asian.

I live nearby and have had delivery from Picasso twice and dined there once. It is a well priced passable sushi spot, not as good as Oshima, Blue Ribbon or Gaido (sp? on Flatbush) but priced well and good delivery times (hear that Oshima?)

It is like a corner Japanese spot in Manhattan: the kid liked it and the food was good and it cost $30 for three. Nothing mindblowing, but in no way worthy of scorn for the decor or the name. Also there is a huge fish in the window. Huge.

8thandPrez wrote: ... if you can't successfully imagine a concept for your business, why should I trust you to feed me?

Because their core competency is making sushi, not brand equity. The sushi is OK to good. I initially had similar concerns to other posters that it would take business from Taro. Not any more.

I used to love Taro. But the last time I was at Taro there was something weird going on. They were out of many menu items, and they had a completely different staff than usual... Made me think they changed owners or something. Haven't been back since I discovered Picasso has consistently been pretty good (3 visits) which is better than risking another off day at Taro.

These are the same people that own a great sushi spot over on PPW, between 17th and Prospect Ave-that place is called Sushi Yama. It's sad to say, but that place burned down a few nights ago, so I'm going to have to take a trip over there.

And isn't that green tea amazing? If it's the same they serve at Sushi Yama, anyways.

They're a really nice family, though.