Jewel Bako

I loved Jewel Bako when it first opened. Not only was the sushi creative and delicious, the space was wonderful.  The ceiling was encompassed with wonderful slats of wood.  It made the space very warm, inviting, modern and Asian in feel at the same time.  Great architecture. 

Jack and Grace Lamb have slowly been building their empire in the East village with other restaurants.  They left the original space of Jewel Bako which was on 5th between 2nd and 3rd.  Now it is located on 2nd Avenue and 6th Street.  Such a drag.  It just doesn’t do it for me.  The space might as well be a neighborhood sushi joint.  The place smelled like fish the minute I walked in the door.  The lighting is awful. The service is wonderful and the food was good but not great.  The space just blows it.

It is too bad.  They could make that small space into something special.  I suggest they do so or their customer base will start to fly out the door.  Sushi restaurants in this town are a dime a dozen.  There are a handful of really high end superior sushi places and I always had put Jewel Bako in that category.  No longer.  Perhaps I missed out by not going to Jewel Bako Robata around the corner but there should be consistency in Lamb’s small empire in the village.