Blue Elm

This is exactly why I hate going to asian fusion restaurants. They can’t get any cuisine right. It started off bad and got worse. I decided to order the unadon, except the waitress had to ask me 3 times what i wanted to order. When I pointed to the line item on the menu, she finally understood what I wanted (I apparently pronounced it too Japanese). She then proceeded to say «oh, no one’s ever ordered that before.» WOAHS. So I decided to change my order since I was not going to get an eel that has been sitting for days…
So I ordered what seemed to be a safe choice — wasabi peppered chicken. What a disaster — overcooked, incredibly dry, and just inedible. I was so tired and did not care enough to make a scene. The foodie in me died. I had no desire to try anyone else’s dish (they all looked awful) and when my friends told me they sucked… I had no need to try.
I think the only good thing about this place was the aioli sauce that came with the fries (yes, not even the fries made the cut).
Hated the place. Never again.

Cute little spot in the LES right by Katz’s. This place is pretty good for a fusion restaurant. You can’t go here expecting authentic Japanese food, or even true Asian fusion. It’s French-​Afro-​Japanese.
I like their lychee martini and ginger sake lemonade. The pommes frites with dipping sauces are pretty yummy and filling. The lobster roll is an awesome concept but was just ok. The sushi is pretty yummy, especially the spicy tuna crunch, rock and roll, and golden dragon.

Each dish here was either an extreme hit or extreme miss.
HIT:
Miso Black Cod
Samurai Steak
MISS:
Wasabi Peppered Chicken.
Pommes Frites
There’s a fine line between American Fusion and Americanized Asian, and I would say this place tips to the latter for many of their dishes, esp. appetizers. I wouldn’t recommend this place, but if you end up here, they do have their good dishes so don’t be too down. Atmosphere is trendy, its a great location if you are going out after in LES, but service is S-​L-​O-​W and food is MEH.

The space: fun, dark, some of the tables are a little too close together… close enough to where you stop midsentence when you’re speaking to listen to the conversation next to you when it gets interesting… or is that just me? But, I feel the proximity to other diners is par for the course as far as new york restaurants go unless you’re at Le Cirque or something.
Food: I’ve only tried sushi here so I really can’t speak to the shared plates aspect of the experience. The fish is fresh, the rolls are creative and delicious. The spicy tuna sandwich… how cute and creative are you? And the wasabi maki roll clears my sinuses and makes my tastebuds sing, so really its like a two for one right there
Drinks: The mojito has some kick and the Lychee martini is delicious as well.
Service: Hm. It was okay. I didn’t like how the waitress sales pitched us into ordering a roll that was, no doubt, delicious. but was also a $ 7 price point higher than our original order. I felt it was a bit pushy. I also didn’t appreciate her pouring the soy sauce into the dishes as a way of showing «service». I don’t know any sushi restaurant that does that. The little dishes were overflowing and you couldn’t get in enough wasabi to get a good mix. Kind of put a damper on the experience.

OK, I actually almost didn’t go due to these reviews, but glad I’m not so easily persuaded! I went on Thursday night, and the server was super nice and friendly, gave good suggestions and was extremely attentive (to caveat this, the restaurant wasn’t at max capacity so I can’t comment on how the restaurant would operate under extreme conditions, but still, she was great).

What I shoved down my gullet:
Apps: Had the monster roll (a bit doughy, as it’s fried, but wouldn’t veto it for a shared appetizer) and edamame (nicely salted, but I don’t expect anything special with boiled veggies).
Entrees: Had the spicy roll platter (tuna, salmon and california). For $ 17, to get three rolls is a pretty good deal. Also, I HATE tuna (it makes me think of a can, so it’s more mind over matter), and I actually ate all of these first (ie I’m still a 5 yo at heart and want to go straight for desert). Their other rolls looked interesting, but as you can see from my other posts, I’m a total cheap ass (I save my money for booze).
So long story, short. I live in the area and would go again. Prices are consistent with what the LES is becoming (ie other sushi restaurants of similar quality are equally priced, if not more), so it won’t be an «every night» sort of place, but I wouldn’t mind hitting it once a month.

I’ve gone to Blue Elm a couple times over the last year or two and always had a good time. It is a good spot for a pretty casual dinner with a group of friends. Disclaimer: I am a big fan of Asian Fusion so the various combinations are all exciting to me but here’s my honest take:
Best dishes:
Crab Crusted and Roasted Portobello Mushrooms.
Pan-​seared Scallops
Banana rum gelato
Caramelized pears
Only decent:
Lobster roll
Fig Gelato (vile, disgusting-don’t go there)

Looking at the other Unilocal reviews, perhaps I just came here on an off-​night. They were certainly trying hard at Blue Elm, but the food was vastly underwhelming.
The fish was either not very fresh, or they didn’t have a good cut of it. The salmon didn’t taste like salmon; if I closed my eyes, it could have been any other fish. The Monster spring roll also tasted a tad off, as if the oil they used to fry was a little old.
For the price, this was a disappointing meal.

Went to Blue Elm this weekend and was quite disappointed. It’s a sleek looking space with well-​presented food and a great cocktail list.
But, they offer a pretty horrible value. I left full and enjoyed my meal but totally ripped off.

Stopped by for dinner. Cute place in the LES. It was half full when we got there and pretty full by the time we left.
Appetizer
— Lobster roll: overpriced and mediocre. This was recommended by the waiter. This was fried balls of lobster on top of a sushi roll. I didn’t taste the lobster.
— Seaweed salad: generous portion. Standard.
Entrée
— Miso black cod: this was also mediocre. I wish the flavor was deeper, richer. Nobu’s was way better, needless to say.
Sushi
— Tried some of the rolls. They were able to customize a special roll. I’m not a big roll person… but it tasted standard as well. Fish tasted fresh.
My pompadour ginger drink was ok. Service was good and attentive. Good place for a date or group dinner. The acoustics were kind of bad or the girls at the adjacent table had issues with controlling their shrilly voices.

This is a new restaurant my friend raved about so she decided to take me a few weeks ago. Well, lets just say it was so delicious I’ve gone back at least twice a week since. It is amazing! From the pommes frites to the sushi rolls, I am seriously in heaven with every bite. Everything is cooked perfectly with the perfect amount of seasoning in every bite. I am a HUGE sushi fanatic and have tried plenty of sushi restaurants throughout the city and the sushi at Blue Elm is definitely some of the best, if not THE BEST! It’s fresh, creative, and every roll leaves you wanting to try more and more just to see how good the next is! The Tuna Tartare is also the most creative tuna tartare I’ve ever seen in my life. It has almonds and raisins in it and the sweetness is a perfect combination. I highly recommend the miso cod too! It seriously melts in your mouth.
Definitely try this place — I’ve ended up taking plenty of friends here and they all rave about it too! It’s a great place for a date or with a bunch of friends. I actually just celebrated my friend’s birthday there and we had a big group of about 15 and it was a perfect celebration.
The owner, Avi, is so nice and the service was great. Also, the drinks are really yummy too!

Went there and had the tomato salad, Le Martini dish, crab-​crusted mushrooms, and sushi. The Le Martini dish was super-​delicious but the rest was disappointing. The tomato salad was just bland, very bland and not creative or fusioney at all. The roasted mushrooms reminded me of the frozen baked mushrooms you can buy in supermarkets and did not taste of scallop at all — definitely not worth the price. The sushi was ok but there are many other places I could go to if I wanted just ok sushi.
Considering the price and what it is supposed to be I will not come back to this restaurant.

Whenever I see «shared plates» dominating a menu, I balk. No matter how good it sounds in theory (as in quasi hedonistic, cheery comraderie amid lowered social boundaries), it really never works out in group situations. Also, the vegetarian in the group (that’s me) almost always gets the shaft because everyone else wants to eat what you got.
Blue Elm is entirely shared plates, hypothetically speaking, and has one vegetarian entrée-​ish thing, a West African udon thing. But seeing as how the group wanted to go there, I decided in advance that the udon thing would be my ticket.
I suspect that this place would’ve been really great if only they hadn’t been unable to make roughly two-​thirds of the items on the sizable menu – except for the sushi. It seemed to be a staffing issue, like one of the cooks wasn’t there or something, and they also seemed to be out of many ingredients.
The staff seemed to not be too amenable to creative thinking with the available chef. Maybe they were sick of listing off all the dishes that they didn’t have. It wasn’t until I goaded the waiter on the lack of vegetarian entrees that the chef said he could make something roughly like the West African udon. Which ended up being really tasty.
And the shared plates are really either/​or plates, which I am down with.
Everyone in the group loved the food, but hated on the serious lack of choices. Could it be a sinking ship? That would be unfortunate. They really should just trim down the menu…

Last night I dreamed I was a judge on Top Chef… and then I realized I was dining at Blue Elm… the fusion concept works better than anywhere I’ve been in NYC in a long time… It’s like my mouth needed a passport for one side to go to France and the other side to go to Asia. Here’s why this place is the bomb:
1.) Food is exquisite: the hangar steak with the carmelized pears is sweet, tender and juicy and the scallops are to die for… the owner told me that I was a fool for not trying the sushi, but to him, I say patience, grasshopper, I will be back again!
2.) It’s a real tapas place where you leave full and not having to get a slice of pizza afterwards. This is one of the few tapas places where the portions are almost as big as a main course… and they are totally worth sharing.
3.) This place gives real meaning to fusion cuisine: Everything I tried here was like an explosion of flavor… pears and steak? scallops with a fruity-​balsamic sauce? Fries with chipotle and dill dipping sauces? Fuse me now.
I rarely give the 5 stars. Blue Elm is totally worthy.

Blue Elm did surprise me with its size. I expected the restaurant to be bigger; however, I think its smallness added to the warm and friendly service we received. We had to wait a little while for the table, but we had one of the cute round ones close to the bar (definitely a good spot for ‘scene-​surfing.‘
I liked doing the sharing thing at Blue Elm because it meant we were able to try a bunch of different dishes. I definitely recommend the french fries, light salad and the edamame sushi roll! Crème Brulee was a delicious delight (infused with berries).
Pros: Lovely staff, unpretentious.
Cons: Not that big.

Great new gem in LES.
Shared the pommes frites w/​3 different dipping sauces, crab-​crusted and roasted portobello mushrooms, and the safari steak. Everything was delicious and I especially liked the pairing of the steak and caramelized pears. Everything else on the menu looked so good and its nice that the sizes are good so you can share everything.
Service was good and the place was cute and tidy.

A favorite late night, end of the day restaurant. I work in the neighborhood and since discovering Blue Elm about a month ago, I’ve ordered dinner here three times. I’ve only had carry out so far, but the restaurant «vibe» I’ve gotten just from picking up my orders at the bar is great. Everyone I’ve spoken to or encountered has given wonderful service and even made a relatively special request happen tonight. Looking forward to sitting down for dinner and updating this review. Fairly certain I won’t be disappointed.
Favorites: Crab-​Crusted and Roasted Portabello Mushrooms, Pan-​Seared Scallops, and the sushi rolls a manager (owner?) suggested one night when I was particularly indecisive.
Well done.

Grand Opening Prix Fixe: 3 Courses for only $ 20!!! You can’t beat that!
Awesome food, I had salad and Yucca Crusted Salmon which was delish. And Crème brûlée with berries! very very tasty…
Might wanna skip the steak entrée (more like appetizer size)… lamb chop was small also, but very tasty!
Go before end of October for the $ 20 deal/​steal! actually I would go back again even after the special, food is great and prices are reasonable! Take your taste buds on a world trip! =)
For more reviews visit my blog.

My boyfriend found this place on Unilocal,little did we know it just opened! Very cozy spot, great for a date as they have a sharing menu. We arrived on a Friday night after 9p without reservations. They were very accommodating of us! We stood at the bar for about five minutes and we were seated at a lovely table for two right by the bar. It was a little crowded with people standing at the bar and servers/​runners moving back and forth. Let’s just say our conversation was peppered with a lot of «excuse me» and «coming through!»
The food was delightful! The chef is from Senegal, studied in France and traveled in Asia. The food reflects these places quite harmoniously. My boyfriend and I shared Le Martini, Pommes Frites, and Pan-​Seared Wild Striped Bass.
Le Martini arrived first and blew us away! It was by far my favorite dish, an assortment of raw sushi meats served with crispy tempura flakes and avocado in a martini glass.
The Pommes Frites were good… although they were simple french fries. The accompanying sauces were what put them over the top. Ketchup, Sriracha aioli, and Thyme aioli were great dipping sauces for the Frites.
The Bass was cooked perfectly and had a lovely crust that went great with the semi-​sweet sauce, potatoes, and garlic spinach.
At the end of the meal, we had the Pineapple Mint gelato, which was delicious and very refreshing. A great way to end a flavorful meal.
Overall, it was a fantastic meal at a reasonable price. I recommend making reservations (mention that you’d prefer not sitting by the bar) and going with people you don’t mind sharing with!

That being said, I visited Blue Elm with my ladies on Thursday. The cuisine sounded very exotic (French Senegalese) and there were ample choices on the menu to appease my friends who are pescatorian (actually, just Kosher, but they’ll eat fish out).
Here’s the good.
1. Great service. Our waiter (name unknown, but he was blond with a thick French accent) was very sweet, put up with my millions of questions about the wine, and didn’t even charge us for two glasses. He also smiled a lot. I love smiley waiters.
2. Immediate seating, but still somewhat crowded.
3. Good wines by the glass. At $ 8, my Malbec was tasty and went just fine with my steak.
The «Meh» and or «Indifferent»
–Décor, while not bad, is nothing special. The dark wood in the restaurant is nice though. The restaurant space is long and somewhat narrow, but good enough to be seated comfortably.
–I think the restaurant might suffer from «too much stuff» syndrome. There were, as I said, many beautiful sounding dishes, but none of them delivered so well on taste.
We got: (note that the dishes are sharing size)
–halibut (not bad, not amazing, somewhat salty… good beans as an accompaniment though)
–fries (smell is lovely, pervasive garlic, but they were undercooked somewhat)
–tomato salad (good-can’t mess that up really)
–Hangar steak (somewhat tasteless, a bit cold, cooked well but just nothing special)
–Sushi (can’t attest as I didn’t have it, but wtf is sushi doing on the menu here? I was confused. Maybe they like sushi in South Africa)
–Crème Brulee (probably best dish of the night, creamy, nice crispy top
The Downright «bad»
–No red bottles under 59 bucks! Wtf is that. I expect that @ Jean Georges, not at «Blue Elm.»
Anyway, whle this wasn’t a bad experience, I probably wouldn’t go back.

If my first visit during this new resto’s first week is any indication-​this place is going to do very well.
In a very small space, on little Orchard street you’ll find a very friendly attitude coupled with amazingly inventive food. It’s all about sharing with your friends and having a good time. Gotta love that. What’s especially great about Blue Elm is that there is truly something for everyone.
Let’s get to the food.
The BEST dishes:
Crab Crusted and Roasted Portobello Mushrooms.
Pan-​seared Scallops
Zen Delight Roll (roasted portabello mushroom, fried yam & cucumber)
Chocolate Mud Gelato
Dishes that were good:
Tomato Salad
Yellowfin Tuna Tartare
banana rum gelato
fruit crème brûlée
Just skip:
Fig Gelato (vile, disgusting-don’t go there)
My husband also ordered the sushi deluxe and my friends got some beef dishes, I was way to full to eat anymore so I didn’t taste any of those. They all loved them. All in all, we really enjoyed our meal and our time here.
We even spotted the «star to be» lead actress in the Oprah produced, upcoming movie «Precious.» You can’t miss her and you will be seeing her everywhere soon.