Simple question, not so simple answer. Is Hemant still at Saar? Yes, as far as I know. Who owns it? Well, I’m guessing (& hoping for his sake) that he has negotiated a good share, but just about all of the Indian places where the chef is known and a draw have owners other than the chef. And, as far as I know, the chef isn’t usually one of the majority owners (exception seems to be the group that owns Dhamaka, Adda, etc). So, Hemant & Suvir Saran were the star chefs of Devi, but it was mostly owned by the Baluchi group. Similarly, I don’t believe that Hemant actually bought those 6 restaurants on Lexington Ave and then sold them when he moved on. He managed them and probably bought into the group, then left. Same with Tulsi – owned by others. Ownership is tricky & usually not transparent. Of course, do we really care? I think we both agree that the important part is who is in (and/or oversees) the kitchen. And that’s probably what you were asking anyway. 
Last visit to Saar was about 6 months ago and Hemant was there. After several good meals, this was not one of them.
I first went to Nobu way back when it was just a single restaurant and it was the hardest reservation to get. A friend managed to snag one in the days that you needed to use speed dial on a not cell phone (because they cost a $1000 and were the size of a brick) to call at the appointed hour. Was amazing to watch the place grow from one modest size restaurant on Hudson to a global chain. I’ve eaten at a Nobu in at least half a dozen cities around the world. But back when it was only two locations, Nobu and Nobu next door, we became quasi regulars. Our toddler son was quite popular there and his favorite dish in the world at the time was the rock shrimp tempura. So now that he’s a full fledged adult and was celebrating a somewhat important birthday in his 20s, he wanted to go for his birthday dinner.
I won’t go through the whole meal but wanted to note some of the highlights which have been on the menu for 20+ years and influence random Asian restaurants all over America.
Yellow tail with jalapeño. So simple but stunning in how good it tastes. Versions of this exist in practically every no name sushi place but I’ve never seen it served properly with the cilantro leaves.
Kumamoto oysters. This may have been the first place I ever encountered them. After having grown up on the east coast variety, Kumamotos opened my eyes to the wide variety of oyster species. The creamy texture is such a contrast to the east coast oyster.
Wagyu dumplings. These used to be a “secret” menu item. You had to know to ask. I only remembered to take a picture when we were down to the last one.
My son’s favorite. Rock shrimp tempura in creamy spicy sauce. We had a triple order. The best version in the world I know of popcorn shrimp. No one I know doesn’t love this dish.
The grand daddy dish that launched a million imitations. Miso cod. I still haven’t had a version that compares favorably to this.
After all these years, these dishes have become classics. There’s rarely a time we come and these are not part of our meal. So consistent and so good.
While I was waiting for my family to arrive, I noticed a father and his two young sons having a meal at the bar. Made me smile thinking about when I used to do that and thinking that a tradition for another generation is being created.
What did you eat?
Most of the time I find my experience anywhere varies a fair bit based on food choice. As fooddabbler said, their kababs used to be excellent. If they’re sending out dry / flavorless kababs now, I’d be a lot less interested in revisiting.
We always get the miso cod in its other presentation, served in butter lettuce with crispy noodles and a bit of extra sauce.
Was thinking of the rock shrimp tempura just last night when we had a very different version elsewhere.
A revelation to me was going with a vegetarian friend who had a whole list of favorites. I had no idea they had an absolutely delicious vegetarian menu too. I’ll order the mushroom salad even when I’m there with no vegetarians.
No crab in creamy spicy sauce?
CRAVE SUSHI BAR
The Crave people opened a sushi bar in midtown recently.
I was skeptical, but it was a pretty delicious meal. The Dressed Nigiri were hands down the winners of the night. Kind of like if Gari or Seki offered build-your-own-omakase.
There are a couple of overlaps with Crave next door, like the crab roll that’s absolutely delicious. Some of the other rolls were less exciting after the nigiri, not because they weren’t delicious, but because we just wanted more nigiri 
.
Ditto the small plates — the shrimp and crab dumplings were very good, the rock shrimp tempura was as well after the initial disappointment of expecting the Nobu version and getting something entirely different.
The hot plates were skippable imo (we got a couple, then regretted not just getting more sushi instead). Dessert also skippable.
We forgot to order the Dressed Sashimi, which I guess leaved something new to try next time, which I’m sure will be very soon.
Small bites:
Salmon Crispy Rice / Faroe Island Salmon, Yuzu Gochujang, Avocado, Dill
Shrimp & Peekytoe Crab Dumpling / Lemongrass, Yuzu Truffle Dipping Sauce
Roxk Shrimp Tempura / Yuzu Aioli, Garlic Chips, Cherry Peppers, Shredded Cabbage
Nigiri:
Local Scallop / Brown Butter, Lemon, Sea Salt
Kona Kampachi / Shiso Pesto
Faroe Island Salmon / Yuzu Salt
Local Fluke / Black Tahini
Sea Bass / Sake, Soy
Rolls:
Warm Jonah Crab Roll / Sesame Seed, Ghee, Soy Paper
Spicy Tuna / Calabrian Chili, Thai Basil, Broccoli-Rabe
Hot plates:
Dashi Ramen Pasta / Togarashi Breadcrumbs, Bonito Flakes
Crispy Vinegar Braised Chicken Thigh / White Soy Puree, Grilled Bok Choy
This one?
Had it also but in my mind this is a johnny come lately and not yet a classic. Very good though.
No, but did have lobster with ponzu.
There are some very good vegetarian dishes. I particularly like the eggplant but no picture of it. I find the salads too salty and skip them.
Nah, they’ve had it since the beginning, just used to be off-menu.
Indeed. I had just never bothered to try any till I was there with a vegetarian Then showed up my friend with her list of favorites longer than mine 
(I do miss the old space. Which is a weird thing to say, but there it is. Did you ever go to Matsuhisa in LA? There vs nyc Nobu felt like east side Gari vs. west side.)
Thanks for the report. I intend to check this place out next time I’m forced to be in midtown.
I miss it too. When we were there last week, the lovely wife and I talked about how much we missed the old restaurant. It was just so funky with the tree like forms made from 2x4s and the river rocks embedded in the walls. It was cozy though. I also liked the bar at Next Door as I had a number of meals there when all you needed to do was wait for a seat to open up. Had lots of interesting conversations with random people I sat next to. The new downtown space feels too large, cold and blingy.
one of my clients loved sushi and after every deal he signed, wanted to try a different sushi restaurant. I’d spent three years in the derivatives salt mines consulting for a Japanese bank, so knew of a bunch of great places which flew under the radar. But at some point, he wanted nobu.
I spoke to my partners and we agreed I’d take him and our sales guy. The next day he asked if he could bring his manager, his chief of staff and a couple more people, before one could say omakase, we had 8 people.
I did what I could to control the bar bill, looked like spend was going to be in the right zip code when my client said “who wants another round of sushi?” so more sushi, more saki, and then my client said “Let’s go one more round!”. And then again. And then again. the waiter brought the bill and I felt sick. My partners weren’t happy with me, with my client but the money was spent.
The next morning, my client asked me to swing by and apologized for his behavior, he’d had a little too much to drink and realized he’d taken advantage of the situation so to make up for it, he brought on another consultant for six months, and in a week, we’d made back the dinner bill
but the real kicker was that two weeks later I went to a meeting in their nj office and took him and five of his staff to a $40 all you can eat sushi restaurant. As we were leaving, my client said "you know, I don’t know what the fuss is about nobu, this place was just as good.
More Moon Kee:
I don’t think of Nobu as a sushi place. Yes they have it but it’s certainly not the reason to go. The prepared and cooked dishes are the point. Having sushi is like ordering the fish at a steakhouse.
I have done my fair share of client entertaining there. As the client and taking the client. It’s certainly not a cheap place. I would never suggest going there if you had a budget to be mindful of since the ordering format makes it so easy to spend. The dinner for my son was obviously on my nickel and the cost would likely make many HOs question my sanity.
Yep. This.
But the out-of-town client who doesn’t know that is still, at the end of the day, the client
The low key izakayas and other japanese spots in midtown used to be fabulous. The crazy priced hidden sushi places, not as much my jam.
My favorite had-to-know japanese place was a Tokyo italian by day, underground sushi by night. Many a delicious lunch.
(Regulation made sure we couldn’t have client dinners at any expensive places, including Nobu.)
the japanese bank culture where I consulted was work until 7pm, go out for dinner/drinks, back to the office for a couple of hours of “productive” work, and then a car home. Every night.
I probably joined them a night a week, it was always the low-key, midtown izakayas you mentioned, never sushi, but many of the spots had interesting specialties. However, lunches were almost always sushi, none all too expensive.
they offered me a job, I thought long and hard what it might mean for my employer to cover our mortgage, but then the bit about gifting my vacation back to the bank led me to consider other opportunities 
did you get to chibo for okonomiyaki?
oh, we started with a bunch of their well-known dishes, but my client loved sushi. I’m sure you know, when someone is spending a healthy seven figures a year and wants to go to nobu, you take him to nobu. Still, it was a crazy expensive dinner and honestly, I had a hard time enjoying the food because the bill was getting so crazy.
In the end, when we had to visit their singapore office, he flew us first, not business, class on Singapore airlines, which at least for me, made up for the cost and stress of the nobu meal.
That used to be a decent amount of revenue for a client but these days everyone is focused on the whales. We have been firing the 7s to focus on 8s. We are all chasing the same large accounts. I think it’s a mistake but we have basically been told to focus on the top 100-150 global accounts. You got 500mm AUM and I will be your #1 dealer? Sorry I have to close you out. Sad.
Yeah, that was exactly why we were so successful, we were happy to take deals for $150k-$300k that flew under the radar of our competitors looking for whales. But we were very strong on delivery and those little deals established a beachfront that allowed to grow our presence.
We had one of the kebabs, Merg Kesar I believe, samosa tasting, Kerala Shrimp, Pepper Chicken which I normally get, and prob the butter chicken. If I recall it was mainly the curries being off this time. But the most memorable thing was Hemant pacing back and forth in the hallway leading to the kitchen for what seemed like the entire time we were there.
