Match 65

Match 65 Restaurant Review:

When Upper East Side residents began to regularly pack Philippe Kayadjanian's 212 Restaurant & Bar, he knew he could afford to experiment. Enter Paris Match. This visually brasserie-like eatery---the long narrow room (which can get very loud, by the way) is flanked by large hanging mirrors and boasts a zinc bar imported from France and red banquettes---serves up a smattering of classics from the Gallic kitchen: coq au vin, steak frites, croque monsieur. But well-groomed Upper East Siders come for something else: the sushi. The traditional rolls (California, tuna, salmon) could compete with some of the best downtown Manhattan sushi eateries. But the real taste bud tantalizers are Paris Match's long list of special rolls: the Flavia roll involves bufala mozzarella and smoked salmon wrapped with rice and Japanese batter, then deep-fried and served with aged balsamic. But the eponymously-named Paris March roll might be the star of the show: seared salmon, yellowtail and avocado wrapped around smoked eel and spicy tuna, melding together in a complex and surprisingly congruent way.