Gyu-Kaku

Midtown East (also another location in the East Village)
805 3rd Ave. @ 50th St.
212-702-8816
http://www.gyu-kaku.com/

Lara, after years of providing me comic relief beyond compare (unintentionally), the least I can do is fulfill your one request from your trip to New York. First and foremost, Jess' wedding had already been checked off the list.

For months, Lara, Go Or No Go's biggest fan, had been pressuring me to find the perfect spot for a Go or No Go review the weekend of our college reunion in New York City. As a regular to my blog, I thought she would get the hint when I hadn't updated in weeks. Lara chose to ignore the facts and do whatever required to make sure her dream came true.

The weather was particularly crappy that evening. This was the kind of night you regret the cute outfit and high heels. Not to mention, I felt another pressure to please a crowd of almost 12. Each girl had a different objective in mind (opportunity for food blog appearance, seeing long-lost lovers and friends in New York City, avoid spending a lot of money, party it up, girls night out, bed, etc.).

My final decision was Gyu-Kaku, although I had never been there before myself (risky!).

While I cannot speak for the atmosphere at their other locations, this one has sky lights, which was cool during a lightning storm. The girls collectively decided Gyu-Kaku is the ultimate date spot, but also a fun place for a group.

The Japanese Barbeque concept is unique. You make your own food. That's right. You go out and pay people who make you do all the work. These people get away with it, and for that, are pretty genius.

I shouldn't say they do nothing. They do the dishes and setup everything for you. In fact, you have a small pit in front of you to prepare your food to your liking along with sauces in range of flavors. Lara was so obsessed with the spicy sauce, she tried begging for the recipe, which they would not share.

Essentially, we ordered a variety of simple proteins and vegetables. Everyone was actively participating and laughing as we each prepared our meat and veggies to the temperatures of our liking. The Bibimbap, a stone pot rice dish, was a fan favorite.

For dessert, we entrusted skilled culinary student, Emily, to cook our pancakes. Although, just shy of her degree, even the pro at the table struggled with this task. Thanks to the many cocktails and mounds of vanilla ice cream on top, you could barely tell the difference.

All in all, I was happy with the selection, if I may so say myself. More importantly, so were the guests. Lara, you can cancel that trip to Disneyworld now!

Go or No Go? Go