Eater NY: All Posts by Kat OdellThe New York City Restaurant, Bar, and Nightlife Bloghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52682/favicon-32x32.png2022-04-22T13:25:30-04:00https://ny.eater.com/authors/katodell/rss2022-04-22T13:25:30-04:002022-04-22T13:25:30-04:00A Yakitori Master Launches a 14-Seat, Chicken-Centric Omakase in Chinatown
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<img alt="A spread of dishes with various grilled chicken parts." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/SlQgk8e0arQiMZ5WoEfTaC7T2gk=/114x0:1934x1365/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70781525/KONO_Food_Spread_Photo_Credit_Ben_Hon____stuffbeneats.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>A spread of yakitori at Kono. | Ben Hon (<a class="ql-link" href="https://www.instagram.com/stuffbeneats/?hl=en" target="_blank">@stuffbeneats </a>)/Kono</figcaption>
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<p>Atsushi “ATS” Kono’s eponymous restaurant opens on April 25</p> <p class="p-large-text" id="3BI1xo">With a stockpile of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yudP0MLpz0E">meticulously dissected</a>, organic, free-range Pennsylvania chicken cuts — lacquered in a five-year-old soy sauce mixture and tethered on skinny bamboo sticks awaiting the glowing coals of a 1,650 degrees binchotan charcoal-fueled grill — Atsushi “ATS” Kono is ready. </p>
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<img alt="A restaurant storefront with a blue curtain and gray wall." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/2yAPdwXQEYe_n3bg4NCtwoNeMvw=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23409518/KONO_Exterior_2_Photo_Credit_Ben_Hon____stuffbeneats.jpg">
<cite>Ben Hon (<a class="ql-link" href="https://www.instagram.com/stuffbeneats/?hl=en" target="_blank">@stuffbeneats </a>)/Kono</cite>
<figcaption>Kono is located inside the Canal Arcade in Chinatown.</figcaption>
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<p id="tnF7Ym">Since 2006, Kono has been grilling some of the juiciest, smoked-kissed birds in the city, from his early days as executive chef of Torishin, when the restaurant earned <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_V0ikZHtI4">a Michelin star</a> and a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/11/dining/torishin-review-japanese-yakitori.html">three-star</a> <em>New York</em> <em>Times </em>review, to last summer’s rooftop Chikarashi Isso pop-up on the Bowery. And now,<em> </em>after earning respect as one of New York’s premiere yakitori craftsman, he finally has a place to call his own: Kono, the 14-seat dining counter he’s debuting with his wife Nozomi and the team behind nearby Nakaji (Jonathan and Ivy Chu, and Selwyn Chan) on Monday, April 25. It’s<strong> </strong>tucked away — in covert Japanese style — behind an unassuming blonde wood door down the Canal Arcade, located at 46 Bowery, between Canal and Bayard streets.</p>
<p id="PNLMdf">The restaurant is rooted in a seasonal, 16-course ($165) kappo-style dinner (a more casual type of chef’s choice dining in which a chef preps dishes in front of guests and often passes the plates directly to the customers). Kono upgrades the yakitori omakase with Western luxury ingredients like truffles and caviar. But he also employs a cooking technique that he describes as “Tokyo classic” when he fuels his grill with kishu binchotan, a pricey type of white oak charcoal that hails from Japan’s south-central Wakayama Prefecture and is prized for<strong> </strong>its high thermal power, long burn time, and its lack of odor.<strong> </strong>In other words, no detail is left unturned.</p>
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<img alt="Two skewers of raw chicken being seasoned with a shaker." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/YQVVl94j0Z2ZiaBnpCh1dNrSjY8=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23409482/KONO_Yakitori_Prep_1_Photo_Credit_Ben_Hon____stuffbeneats.jpg">
<cite>Ben Hon (<a class="ql-link" href="https://www.instagram.com/stuffbeneats/?hl=en" target="_blank">@stuffbeneats </a>)/Kono</cite>
<figcaption>Kono sources Amish chickens for the menu.</figcaption>
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<img alt="Bamboo skewers with chicken on a binchotan grill with flames rising." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fWK0-TW2p_w1AG3ho9G-u3S3QG4=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23409485/KONO_Grill_3_Photo_Credit_Ben_Hon____stuffbeneats.jpg">
<cite>Ben Hon (<a class="ql-link" href="https://www.instagram.com/stuffbeneats/?hl=en" target="_blank">@stuffbeneats </a>)/Kono</cite>
<figcaption>The binchotan charcoal-fueld grill reaches 1,650 degrees.</figcaption>
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<p id="AXiehh">It took Kono two years to find the perfect source for his birds before he settled on Amish chickens that offer a “fresh, rich flavor and juicy texture.” The fatty, poultry skin has been a hit. In fact, one of Kono’s signature starters at last summer’s pop-up with Chikarashi Isso at the Hotel 50 Bowery was a small bowl of chicken skins grilled as crisp as potato chips. Paired with a glass of bubbles or sake, Kono considers it the perfect dish to kick off a dinner and plans to again serve this starter to commence his new omakase.</p>
<p id="5BiGNE">The Saitama, Japan-native also notes that a hallmark of his cooking style falls under the Japanese belief in no-waste cooking, or mottainai<em>. </em>“I use the entire chicken in my menu, including skins, organs, and bones,” says Kono, who adds that he fell in love with the popular Japanese street food thanks to “the char flavor that you get from grilling at a high temperature.” </p>
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<img alt="Chicken meatball on a skewer inside a ceramic bowl with an orange tomato." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/XaDh4WfTW3OETydw5YipEOpDQw4=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23409507/KONO_Tsukune_Meatball_Photo_Credit_Ben_Hon____stuffbeneats.jpg">
<cite>Ben Hon (<a class="ql-link" href="https://www.instagram.com/stuffbeneats/?hl=en" target="_blank">@stuffbeneats </a>)/Kono</cite>
<figcaption>Tsukune meatballs.</figcaption>
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<img alt="Two bamboo skewers of grill chicken on a dark ceramic plate." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/yoJe-BE9IigbPY4JppFafy38oGc=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23409512/KONO_Yakitori_1_Photo_Credit_Ben_Hon____stuffbeneats.jpg">
<cite>Ben Hon (<a class="ql-link" href="https://www.instagram.com/stuffbeneats/?hl=en" target="_blank">@stuffbeneats </a>)/Kono</cite>
<figcaption>Nearly every chicken part is used for yakitori.</figcaption>
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<p id="7S2y1B">While diners can expect Kono’s skewer menu to fluctuate daily, some signature bites beyond the chicken skin chips include his monaka (rice cracker sandwich) appetizer packed with chicken pate, black truffle, and a gold leaf garnish. Bites like these lead into a roughly 11-course yakitori series, which ranges from tail and soft bone to testicle and fallopian tube, and will also include seasonal vegetables. The meal concludes with mizutaki udon, thick and chewy wheat noodles in chicken broth with green onion, followed by dessert, such as Okinawan black sugar creme brulee. Customers will have the option to upgrade menus with supplementary courses like A5 wagyu, king crab, and iberico pork skewers. For beverages, expect sake, shochu, and beer, plus around 19 Japanese whisky options. </p>
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<img alt="A U-shaped wooden bar with high stools." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/We5Jw2_CbXZvM8hIgSuk2eAiZ78=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23409500/KONO_Chefs_Counter_3_Photo_Credit_Ben_Hon____stuffbeneats.jpg">
<cite>Ben Hon (<a class="ql-link" href="https://www.instagram.com/stuffbeneats/?hl=en" target="_blank">@stuffbeneats </a>)/Kono</cite>
<figcaption>Kono offers a more upscale dining experience compared to a pop-up last summer.</figcaption>
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<p id="aJEc3G">For those who dined at Kono’s popular pop-up last summer, the menu might sound familiar. But what most separates this experience from his past cooking is that Kono offers a more upscale, elegant environment.</p>
<p id="rteNus">In Japan, yakitori cookery ranges from unfussy outdoor grilling stands to Michelin-starred engagements. In fact, one of the country’s most respected and impossible-to-book counters is chef Yoshiteru Ikegawa’s Torishiki, a casual Tokyo counter that has consistently received one of the <a href="https://tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1316/A131601/13041029/">highest ranks</a> out of any restaurant in any culinary genre in Japan from the country’s popular restaurant rating site, Tabelog. </p>
<p id="rm64DF">And in 2020, Ikegawa <a href="https://ny.eater.com/2021/5/25/22453118/yoshiteru-ikegawa-yakitori-restaurant-nyc-torien-torishiki">expanded</a> to New York with Torien, helping to develop Manhattan’s slowly growing genre of yakitori-focused restaurants that already included places like Torishin, and the older guard establishments like Yakitori Totto and Yakitori Taisho.</p>
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<img alt="A U-shaped wooden bar with a yakitori grill in the center with a chef fanning some flames." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/hMv5eWlhy5fWdGwHHeGaBLq_hg8=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23409495/KONO_Chefs_Counter_6_Photo_Credit_Ben_Hon____stuffbeneats.jpg">
<cite>Ben Hon (<a class="ql-link" href="https://www.instagram.com/stuffbeneats/?hl=en" target="_blank">@stuffbeneats </a>)/Kono</cite>
<figcaption>The U-Shaped is designed with the grill at its center.</figcaption>
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<p id="99FaeF">Within a 1,000-square-foot space that previously served as a pharmacy, Kono — along with Aki Miyazono and Kohei Tanaka of <a href="https://blankcreations.com/">Blank Design </a>— have transformed the cozy spot to focus on a central, sunken grill station decorated with green marble and a brass hood, plus a white oak U-shaped dining counter. The station’s lower level was conceived so that diners sit eye-level with Kono as he grills. Meanwhile, the restaurant’s walls are a gray-black hue to represent the smoking coals. In addition to the 14 bar seats, there’s also a semi-private alcove for larger groups of four to six. </p>
<p class="c-end-para" id="kVx9Li">While the art of yakitori cooking could be quickly overlooked as, simply put, grilled chicken, there’s good reason why one of the highest-rated restaurants in all of Japan is dedicated to this art. There’s serious skill needed to master the craft: From selecting the right type of poultry to proper butchering skills to perfecting one’s tare sauce to the mastery of binchotan manipulation and knowing precisely when a skewer is ready and how long to rest it. There’s a proper art in knowing how to “bring out umami from each part of the chicken,” which is Kono’s goal with every diner he serves. </p>
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<img alt="A man in a white chef’s jacket holding a blonde box of raw chicken skewers." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/QtVppdFeIa_to_fBtzzzvmo-uoA=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23409490/KONO_Atsushi_ATS_Kono_1_Photo_Credit_Ben_Hon____stuffbeneats.jpg">
<cite>Ben Hon (<a class="ql-link" href="https://www.instagram.com/stuffbeneats/?hl=en" target="_blank">@stuffbeneats </a>)/Kono</cite>
<figcaption>Atsushi “ATS” Kono.</figcaption>
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https://ny.eater.com/2022/4/22/23037451/kono-yakitori-omakase-restaurant-opening-chinatownKat Odell2022-04-19T11:11:42-04:002022-04-19T11:11:42-04:00An Angel’s Share Veteran Debuts His Own Ambitious Japanese Cocktail Bar in Gramercy
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<figcaption>Martiny’s co-owner Takuma Watanabe stands in front of his new bar, which is located in a historic carriage house in Gramercy.</figcaption>
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<p>Takuma Watanabe opens Martiny’s in a renovated carriage house on April 21</p> <p class="p-large-text" id="Amqa7e">Takuma Watanabe spent eight years as the head bartender of Angel’s Share — one of New York City’s most iconic and pioneering cocktail dens that <a href="https://ny.eater.com/2022/4/1/23006123/nyc-restaurant-closings-april-2022">recently shuttered</a> — before venturing out on his own last year. And this Thursday, April 21, the Tokyo native will unveil his first solo project: Martiny’s, a Japanese cocktail bar spanning three floors of a renovated 1800s carriage house at 121 East 17th Street, located between Union Square East and Irving Place, in Gramercy. </p>
<p id="iCPgES">From the moment each person walks in the door until they pay their bill, Watanabe is embracing omotenashi, the Japanese word for hospitality in which an operator pays attention to every detail and anticipates a customer’s needs. At Martiny’s — named after Watanabe’s favorite cocktail, but also a nod to French American sculptor Philip Martiny, whose studio used to occupy the space — every customer receives a warm oshibori<em> </em>(hand towel), as is Japanese custom, before proceeding to one of the three floors. </p>
<p id="c6jYRS">“We specifically curated different levels within Martiny’s to offer different experiences,” says Watanabe, whose decorated bartending career includes working under some of the most notable bartending talent, including Shuzo Nagumo of Tokyo’s Code Name Mixology, perhaps Japan’s most <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2014/06/10/food/meet-willy-wonka-extraordinary-cocktails/">celebrated expert</a> who pioneered experimental cocktail making, and Shingo Gokan, the visionary behind a number of the World’s 50 Best bars and also a former Angel’s Share manager.</p>
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<img alt="A bartender mixes a cocktail at a bar." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/K9m8FmTUDB0yxJSpx4q81iMvcjA=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23400013/20220409_Eater_Martinys_MelanieLandsman_03.jpg">
<figcaption>Takuma Watanabe’s cocktails are designed “to deliver balanced flavors with subtle complexity.”</figcaption>
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<figcaption>The Beauty Colada cocktail.</figcaption>
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<p id="csxMP0">Each of Martiny’s levels will encompass a cozy 450-square-feet and focus on fostering an intimate atmosphere. Jazz will set the stage for what Watanabe describes as a “relaxing and inviting” ambiance, precisely as it is done in Ginza, Tokyo’s epicenter for craft cocktails. However, unlike in Ginza, where many bars are designed for solo drinking experiences with little chatter between customer and bartender, Watanabe has styled Martiny’s to be a bit more upbeat. People are encouraged to banter with employees behind the bar.</p>
<p id="Ibmeio">The hyper detail-oriented nature of proper Ginza bars, including the hospitality, and the artful experience of sitting at a bar there will be mimicked here. Bottles are carefully positioned with their labels facing outward, and the bartenders wear white suit jackets as they shake and swirl cocktails.</p>
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<img alt="A bartender pours a cocktail into a martini glass at a bar." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7Ey4UGAtPbUzoUrPt7X9HBecRs0=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23400028/20220409_Eater_Martinys_MelanieLandsman_09.jpg">
<figcaption>Most cocktails at Martiny’s are served in Kimura glassware.</figcaption>
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<p id="cfW18o">Watanabe explains that Martiny’s is a “hospitality experience,” and “the setting is not meant to be a packed bar.” It is not a place focused on churning out a massive volume of drinks. In fact, Watanabe will serve most of his libations in Kimura glassware, the prized Japanese glass company acclaimed for their paper-thin, featherweight vessels that can cost $100 or more a pop.</p>
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<img alt="A low ball glass with a green matcha cocktail." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/_5ywzgfgTNHGvbVeg3J1z31ZBIU=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23400158/20220409_Eater_Martinys_MelanieLandsman_22.jpg">
<figcaption>The Tea Ceremony, a cocktail with matcha.</figcaption>
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<p id="ra62ej">When Martiny’s debuts, two of its floors will open to the public. The more-buzzy ground floor will offer around 16 to 18 bar seats, and Watanabe’s cocktail menu will highlight his twist on 10 classic cocktails built from seasonal ingredients, such as a drink he’s calling the Grand Martiny’s, made with gin, sherry, dessert wine, Cognac, and grapes. Drinks here will begin at $20. </p>
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<img alt="A glass with bottles of Japanese whiskies." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/TBo_RmUMVhB2g_hYJAQEi_6Y7a0=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23400128/20220409_Eater_Martinys_MelanieLandsman_26.jpg">
<figcaption>Martiny’s will carry 20 Japanese whiskies.</figcaption>
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<p id="DKZY6D">Meanwhile, the bar’s more relaxed second floor will serve as a whiskey and spirits lounge, and highlight brown booze, along with rare expressions. There will be a selection of about 20 Japanese whiskies, including elusive bottles like Ichiro’s Malt Port Pipe and Mars Maltage 3 plus 25, with prices ranging from $20 to $300 a pour. Customers have the option to purchase full bottles and store them on site — a common practice in Japan. Compared to the more upbeat ground floor, the second level will feel more like someone’s private home bar.</p>
<p id="u6R3qO">The basement, which is slated to open in another month or two, will be reserved for private parties of 12 to 18, and is equipped with its own kitchen.</p>
<p id="YQqdY5">As for bites on the two levels above, customers can expect New American meets Japanese bar snacks by Masa and Eleven Madison Park alum Wayne Cheng, with a focus on seafood and raw bar options. Some initial dishes on the menu include chicken karaage topped with caviar and steak tartare served on a piece of toasted, buttered bread. Down the line, Watanabe plans to offer a cocktail and snack tasting menu.</p>
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<img alt="The cocktail bar at Martiny’s with leather stools and wood bar." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Of7e8XaHRmAdgljyZJbKZ4l-Sug=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23400050/20220409_Eater_Martinys_MelanieLandsman_24.jpg">
<figcaption>The bar on the first floor at Martiny’s.</figcaption>
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<img alt="A seating area at a bar with chairs, tables, and a vase with a large window in the background." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/9Qeum8MQDdgzL9bmOGJYY7JNNxU=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23400061/20220409_Eater_Martinys_MelanieLandsman_23.jpg">
<figcaption>Each floor of the bar spans a mere 450-square-foot space.</figcaption>
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<p id="6FzTjU">Watanabe explains that when renovating his historic space that he wanted to honor the building’s past, and keep some of its original details, while integrating classic elements of Japanese architecture. Expect original wood and brick, updated with Japanese sensibility and refinement like charred wood and vintage furniture from upstate antique shops in Hudson.</p>
<p id="h7Cz0A">While New York is no stranger to variations on Japanese bartending, from the pioneering Angel’s Share which debuted way back in 1993, to the more current wave of Japanese-inspired bars like Kenta Goto’s <a href="https://ny.eater.com/2015/8/5/9099783/bar-goto-is-a-dark-japanese-drinking-and-snack-den-on-the-les">Bar Goto</a>, Bar Moga, and <a href="https://ny.eater.com/2018/7/24/17608976/katana-kitten-nyc-menu-bar-west-village">Katana Kitten</a>, none of these venues — the closest experience of which would have been founded briefly at <a href="https://ny.eater.com/2017/6/5/15741592/bar-at-uchu-nyc-opening">Uchu</a> — have really mastered the quiet art and hospitality-minded experience of sitting at a bar in Japan. Martiny’s is stepping in to fill this void.</p>
<p class="c-end-para" id="xzdvOs">“The last character of my name ‘migaku’ means ‘to polish’ in English,” says Watanabe, in explaining how he’s spent the last decade to become a cocktail shokunin (craftsman). “I have polished my skills and am excited to share my meticulously honed craft with the world.”</p>
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<figcaption>Martiny’s is Watanabe’s first solo project.</figcaption>
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https://ny.eater.com/2022/4/19/23031877/martinys-japanese-cocktail-bar-opening-nyc-gramercyKat Odell2021-12-10T15:28:41-05:002021-12-10T15:28:41-05:00One of Spain’s Most Acclaimed Chefs Debuts In Manhattan West Following Seven-Year NYC Hiatus
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<figcaption>Well-known Spanish chef Dani García returns to New York since his last restaurant here closed in 2014. | Casa Dani</figcaption>
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<p>Michelin-starred chef Dani García is back with Casa Dani at Citizen NY after closing his first, short-lived NYC restaurant in 2014</p> <p id="Wo9uMR">One of Spain’s most acclaimed chefs Dani García — who owns 11 restaurants and is known as a master of progressive Spanish cuisine with dishes like nitro tomatoes and oxtail brioche –– will open <a href="https://www.casadanirestaurant.com/">Casa Dani</a> on December 14 within the new Midtown West dining center Citizens NY, located at 448 West 33rd Street, between between Ninth and 10th avenues. </p>
<p id="QlxmD3">The 3,700-square-foot restaurant, which is divided between a 160-seat mezzanine dining room with a glassed-in open kitchen and 11-seat bar plus lounge space, is a collaborative project with Sam Nazarian’s prolific hospitality group Sbe (the same group who <a href="https://la.eater.com/2008/12/5/6778755/hangover-observations-sls-hotel-grand-opening">first partnered</a> with pioneering Spanish chef José Andrés in Los Angeles to open his iconic the Bazaar). In contrast to much of the avant-garde, three Michelin-starred food that catapulted García to fame in Spain, here in New York he’s simplifying things, focusing on the Mediterranean cuisine he ate growing up in southern Spain’s Andalucía region.</p>
<p id="kup0C6">“The inspiration comes from my youth, and the traditions of my country,” says García, adding that “the [restaurant’s] name indicates this.” Naturally, the menu leans toward seafood, with classic dishes from Southern Spain<strong> </strong>like chanquete con huevo y pimiento (noodlefish with fried eggs and roasted peppers), chipirones en su tinta (baby squid in ink sauce), and the crowd favorite of ham croquettes. While the chef notes that Casa Dani does bear some similarities to his seafood-focused restaurant Lobito de Mar (which counts locations in Marbella and Madrid), he explains that while some dish names are similar, each has its “own personality to the concept.”</p>
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<img alt="A brown plate with four croquettes topped with ham." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/JdprLfEJbRKSdq31Ivty1-ByuIE=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23079467/Cana_Dani_0345.jpg">
<cite>Casa Dani</cite>
<figcaption>Croquetas de jamon Iberico.</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A plate of sliced octopus in a red tomato sauce." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/mRPib6Wq6GT-j8TTzNKbQJ1eDKo=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23079520/Cana_Dani_0196.jpg">
<cite>Casa Dani</cite>
<figcaption>Pulpo (octopus) con papa alina.</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A bowl with four baby squid covered in black squid ink sauce and white cream." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/YQhVv7EE6IMmWSksYMuZcF3hY9s=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23079585/Cana_Dani_0121.jpg">
<cite>Casa Dani</cite>
<figcaption>Chipirones en su tinta (baby squid ink in ink sauce).</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="TLYgBX">Naturally, a decent portion of the menu is dedicated to tapas, and there’s a whole section devoted specifically to tuna and its various preparations. García says that he’s bringing in the best tuna in the world, from Spain, and will serve various cuts like tuna belly pan con tomate, morrillo a la sal (the forehead of the tuna with greens), and a tuna porterhouse carpaccio simply drizzled with Spanish olive oil. He is also importing that specific olive oil from Spain, along with boquerones, anchoas, and rice. “We are trying to bring as much as we can from Spain,” he says. </p>
<p id="eGQo4f">García’s Mediterranean menu continues with a mix of familiar dishes like croquetas de jamón ibérico and bacalao (salt cod) with piquillo peppers to larger family-style dishes such as a whole Canary Islands branzino baked in black salt. And no Spanish menu would be complete without a tribute to rice. Here, diners can pick from a handful of dishes with rice or fideos (noodles) fortified with proteins like Cornish hen, a 28-day dry aged bone-in ribeye, or seafood assortment. And, for customers who are keen to try any of García’s signature dishes, there is the oxtail brioche appetizer. It’s a dish that he created 18 years ago when he wanted to add oxtail to a tapas-style dish. The hand-held bite is made from brioche sandwiching together pulled oxtail with slices of mushroom and a special sauce made from oxtail jus. </p>
<p id="WEscIP">As for Casa Dani’s bar progra, it is a joint venture between the chef’s team in Spain and NYC, with input from Sbe, as well. Cocktails lean heavy on sherry –– with tipples like 5600 Miles, which calls for Spanish brandy, amontillado sherry, mezcal, lime, and strawberry –– while the wine menu spans from all over Spain. </p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A dining room with hanging globe lights, wooden tables, and a green wall on one side." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/FmxizI_Wd4DD2EeVGbDL-9N4b5Y=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23079563/Casa_Dani_Detail___Citizens___Manhattan_West___4586.jpg">
<cite>Casa Dani</cite>
<figcaption>David Rockwell’s team designed Casa Dani.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="81Qdf6">To complement García’s homestyle Spanish-Mediterranean food and drinks, lauded architect and interior designer David Rockwell (Wayan, Catch Steak) and his team designed a space reminiscent of open-air Spanish courtyards, decorating rooms with soft earthy tones, tiles, hanging plants, and lace-inspired curtains for an outdoor feel.</p>
<p id="odE0qj">Some New Yorkers <a href="https://ny.eater.com/2013/2/13/6480807/manzanilla-a-spanish-brasserie-from-chef-dani-garcia">might recall</a> that this isn’t Garcia’s first run in the Big Apple. In 2013, he debuted Manzanilla, a hotly anticipated Spanish brasserie on Park Avenue South with Boqueria owner Yann de Rochefort, and despite some <a href="https://www.timeout.com/newyork/restaurants/manzanilla">good reviews</a>, that concept didn’t quite work and it <a href="https://ny.eater.com/2014/2/27/6272405/manzanilla-bites-the-dust-after-one-year-in-business">shuttered a year later</a>. So, Garcia is at it again, but this time with not just one restaurant, but at least two. He also recently opened adjacent fast-casual chicken-centered El Pollo Verde also located in the Citizens NY food hall, located steps from the Hudson Yards development. </p>
<p id="a93CuM">And while chef Alberto Carballo — who worked at Manzanilla and was most recently at the Turk’s Inn in Bushwick — will oversee the kitchen on day-to-day basis, García plans to be in New York often to oversee his restaurants, he says while also hinting that “there are plenty more projects in the works, so I’ll be here quite often.” </p>
<aside id="r2yTCi"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"ny-eater"}'></div></aside>
https://ny.eater.com/2021/12/10/22828218/casa-dani-garcia-spanish-mediterranean-citizens-ny-restaurant-openingsKat Odell2021-09-20T17:08:29-04:002021-09-20T17:08:29-04:00One of Japan’s Most Respected Sushi Masters Is Launching His Second Act in NYC
<figure>
<img alt="A front view into a sushi restaurant with a view of a sign and a long wooden sushi counter with one chef preparing fish" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/b1XVfrytxpzTgdm8FMMQ36pxbd0=/114x0:1934x1365/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69885286/EaterNY_Yoshino_MLANDSMAN_02.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Yoshino has been in the works for three years and will finally open on September 23.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Acclaimed chef Tadashi Yoshida will step into New York’s already crowded luxe omakase market with Yoshino</p> <p class="p-large-text" id="Q2KqB0">Tadashi Yoshida, one of Japan’s most respected sushi masters and owner of Nagoya’s now-shuttered Sushi No Yoshino, will open <a href="https://www.yoshinonewyork.com/">Yoshino</a> at 342 Bowery in Noho on September 23.</p>
<p id="RwKl4P">This highly anticipated debut, which has been in the works for three years and was delayed because of the pandemic, serves as one of the most important sushi openings in New York to date, and the first time ever that a sushi master has closed his introduction-only counter in Japan to launch in the Big Apple. The 10-seat, 20-course omakase sushi experience is priced at $400 per customer.</p>
<p id="tFWh8b">“In New York, I am competing on the world stage,” says Yoshida, who passed on opportunities to relocate his sushiya to Tokyo. He wanted to “seize the opportunity” to show his skills on, what he believes, is a more global platform with a bigger audience. And much like the snug, nine<strong>-</strong>seat sushi counter he once operated, here in New York — where he has partnered with art collector and managing partner Alberto Fis as well as Andrew Gyokudari — he’ll have a 700-square-foot stage in what formerly was a Subway shop. The serene space is now outfitted with earthy moss green plaster walls, a coffered wood ceiling, and a silky 20-foot dining counter made from a single piece of 300-year-old hinoki (the other half of this tree resides in Tokyo’s Imperial Palace). The aesthetic mixes traditional Japanese design with a contemporary feel — a similar reflection of Yoshida’s Edomae omakase with subtle French influences. </p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A chef in a white coat and hat stands behind a wooden sushi bar." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/clDcCGbAiQwo7GTEGS1CftNiJ0A=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22865174/EaterNY_Yoshino_MLANDSMAN_08.jpg">
<figcaption>Tadashi Yoshida decided to close his acclaimed sushi counter in Nagoya to focus on opening Yoshino.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="njNIdE">Having grown up in a culinary family — Yoshida’s father owned a sushi counter in the Gifu Prefecture named Sushi No Yoshino — a career in food seemed like a natural path. But, in fact, baseball was Yoshida’s first love. It wasn’t until high school, when his dreams of being a professional baseball player were dashed that he began to consider sushi. Before taking over his father’s sushi bar in 1995<strong> </strong>(which he eventually relocated to Nagoya), Yoshida worked at French restaurant J’ai Faim in Yokahama, and this experience continues to shape the food he serves today. As Sushi No Yoshino garnered critical acclaim, Yoshida eventually charged $300 for the omakase experience, where it was one of Japan’s most coveted, introduction-only sushi counters.</p>
<p id="jupP5E">Yoshida emphasizes that for those who have dined with him in Nagoya, Yoshino in New York will offer the exact same experience: It’s a special occasion meal rooted in traditional Japanese sushi philosophy, though embellished with Western thought and luxury ingredients. </p>
<p id="rm2Z75">Diners can expect a meal to commence with six tsunami<em> </em>accented with white truffles and caviar, plus Western ingredients that are atypical in sushi meals, like olive oil and heavy cream. For Yoshino’s debut, Yoshida is considering some mushroom courses — such as matsutakes and white truffles — to celebrate the fall season.</p>
<p id="Nrz0Nl">Unlike his unique approach to small appetizer courses, Yoshida’s sushi portion of the omakase is wholly Japanese, with around 10 Edomae-style nigiri bites, followed by a hand roll, tamago, miso soup, and dessert. </p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A chef cuts through sushi on rice on a wooden cutting board." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/MSSaaw37KNnLpDm-GFifuxsypx0=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22865255/EaterNY_Yoshino_MLANDSMAN_17.jpg">
<figcaption>Yoshino’s omakase features 20 courses.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="hAF25t">Sushi enthusiasts know the importance of rice during a meal, and Yoshida seasons his shari with a mix of three vinegars, and errs on the side of more acid as opposed to sweetness. For fish, roughly 80 percent of his seafood comes from Japan. Domestically, he’s procuring abalone from Hawaii, scallops from Massachusetts, and some of his tuna (20 percent will come from Boston and the rest from Japan). </p>
<p id="ugMNz9">And for diners who secure reservations during Yoshino’s early days, Yoshida has a special fish lined up. From Toyosu’s tuna auction, he has purchased the top rated tuna in all of Japan from that auction day: Oma blue fin tuna from Oma in the Aomori Prefecture in northern Japan. He typically ages his tuna anywhere from 10 to 14 days depending on the size and various cuts of the fish. Yoshida also uses an unsung aging technique to boost umami in his fish by placing pieces in vacuum bags and aging the cuts in ice water for two to three weeks. </p>
<div class="p-fullbleed-block"><div class="c-image-grid">
<div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A chef in white uniform holds a hand-held grill containing binchotan charcoal over a plate of mackeral." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/mNT1nx0LJQRQr8Qc8cu1LoQZ9lw=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22865163/EaterNY_Yoshino_MLANDSMAN_19.jpg">
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<div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A chef in a white a uniform presents a plate of seated mackerel on rice." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/W2s8pxpCPe3QTR7g3Y5qcvuMmsI=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22865168/EaterNY_Yoshino_MLANDSMAN_21.jpg">
<figcaption>A hand-held grill containing binchotan is used to sear mackerel.</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
</div></div>
<p id="86ZELO">While Yoshida’s menu will change often based on market availability, he does plan to serve a number of bites for which he has become known. That includes pressed sabazushi<em> </em>(mackerel) that Yoshida torches with a hand-held grill containing binchotan charcoal so that the top of the fish get charred. And the second is a rarely-found maguro bite. Yoshida cuts a specific part of the tuna, known as chiaigishi, that’s buttery, but contains an irony-flavor, which is a reason many sushi chefs do not serve it. He then uses a technique called kuragake<em> </em>and cuts the fish so that the tuna resembles a horse saddle, and drapes it over the rice. </p>
<div class="p-fullbleed-block"><div class="c-image-grid">
<div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A chef in a white uniform slices raw red tuna on a wooden cutting board." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/wH6M6rncxi0ybtmRqQFPqXZn51M=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22865194/EaterNY_Yoshino_MLANDSMAN_12.jpg">
<figcaption>Chef Yoshida sources tuna from Japan and just outside of Boston.</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
<div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image">
<img alt="Raw tuna served atop rice plated on a black slate on a wooden counter." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/WSGikspByJHnkYA6F3U8LCnHKjk=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22865205/EaterNY_Yoshino_MLANDSMAN_13.jpg">
<figcaption>A piece of tuna cut into the shape of a horse saddle rests on a mound of rice.</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
</div></div>
<p id="p7ssoG">While the chef has long given up baseball, it’s clear that Yoshida is looking to hit a home run here in New York. Yoshida recognizes how strong New York’s high-end omakase sushi scene has become over the last decade, and for that precise reason he believes now is the perfect time to open here — at a time when New Yorkers really understand and appreciate the art of sushi like never before. </p>
<p id="VbDeeM">It’s important to note that despite incredible efforts here in New York by chefs that hail from legendary Tokyo sushi counters, like Daisuke Nakazawa who worked under Jiro Ono at Jiro, and Shion Uino who worked under Takashi Saito at Sushi Saito, Yoshida marks the very first New York sushi counter from an actual sushi master, not a<strong> </strong>protégé. </p>
<p id="hOvtjT">When Yoshida turned 50 two years ago, he decided that he had to pursue the next step in his career even though he was at his peak. From 2017 to 2018, Sushi No Yoshino was one of only four sushi spots in all of Japan that earned back-to-back gold awards from the country’s <a href="https://tabelog.com/en/aichi/A2301/A230103/23047555/dtlphotolst/1/39/?smp=s">most prestigious</a> restaurant ranking site, <a href="https://tabelog.com/en/">Tablelog</a>. All that considered, when Yoshida met Fis through a mutual friend and regular diner, the opportunity to move to New York presented itself. Yoshida jumped at the opportunity and within two weeks he had closed Sushi No Yoshino with the intent to relocate to New York.</p>
<p id="PuyNYC">Yoshino is open Monday through Saturday, with seatings offered at 5:30 and 8:30 p.m.</p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A wooden bare sushi counter with chairs lined at the counter." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/axdTr1KpP14ieXZ16Pac275XcYM=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22865200/EaterNY_Yoshino_MLANDSMAN_03.jpg">
<figcaption>A 20-foot dining counter made from a single piece of 300-year-old hinoki.</figcaption>
</figure>
<aside id="Cf5yUI"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"ny-eater"}'></div></aside>
https://ny.eater.com/2021/9/20/22684578/yoshino-opening-noho-tadashi-yoshida-omakaseKat Odell2021-08-06T11:39:07-04:002021-08-06T11:39:07-04:00The Chef Behind Celebrated Brushstroke Is Opening a Kaiseki Omakase Spot in Midtown
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<img alt="Isao Yamada" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/cFyM9dnvspn57w4c9jXfjJ1yY3A=/114x0:1934x1365/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69688824/0S7A1220.0.jpeg" />
<figcaption>Chef Isao Yamada will lead the kitchen at Kaiseki Room by Yamada. | Melissa Hom</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>At Kaiseki Room by Yamada, the respected chef is serving an 11-course, hyper seasonal kaiseki omakase</p> <p id="4HrIwt">Restaurateur Emil Stefkov of hospitality firm the Group, responsible for the West Village’s covert, subterranean sushi den Omakase Room by Mitsu — an intimate, 14-course experience known for serving pristine seafood flown in from Japan — will expand with his second traditional Japanese restaurant: Kaiseki Room by Yamada is scheduled to open around late September. Stefkov has tapped Isao Yamada, a chef who trained at the Kyoto location of Kitcho, one of Japan’s most highly regarded, three Michelin star kaiseki counters. Most recently, Yamada opened up David Bouley’s Brushstroke in 2010 and helmed the kitchen until the restaurant <a href="https://ny.eater.com/2018/9/24/17896372/brushstroke-david-bouley-kaiseki-restaurant-closes-tribeca">shuttered</a> in 2018. There, he focused on kaiseki executed with some French influences, and earned <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/13/dining/reviews/brushstroke-nyc-restaurant-review.html">two stars</a> from the<em> New York Times</em>. </p>
<p id="XdnFqu">But at his new home, which claims a modest 600-square- foot Midtown space at 145 West 53rd Street ,near 6 ½ Avenue, Yamada will focus on a more wholly Japanese menu with some high-end touches. His dedication to Japan’s highest form of culinary art is to be featured in an 11-course, hyper seasonal kaiseki omakase that he expects to price around $300.</p>
<p id="ehgB2R">Yamada will pay tribute to kaiseki customs in which an elegant meal — often served on trays and composed of many small dishes — is based on harmony with nature, and balance. Kaiseki cuisine, which originally began as courses served alongside tea during the 16th century, embraces varied forms of cooking methods (fried, steamed, raw, baked, simmered) with dishes composed of myriad colors and textures. And Yamada will follow kaiseki’s customary menu progression, commencing with zensai, a small appetizer such as chilled kabocha soup, and concluding with a donabe rice dish like wagyu with mushrooms. A kaiseki meal’s most important course, hassun, establishes the menu’s seasonal theme and is served toward the middle of the meal. Yamada adds that he plans to design his menu around the best fish of the moment, in addition to “mountain delicacies” that are to be confirmed. </p>
<p id="aiVyBr">Diners can expect Yamada to serve an elaborate menu. While kaiseki meals in Japan are usually devoid of western luxury ingredients (truffles, foie gras, caviar, etc.), there is often a focus on hyper seasonal fish and produce. But Yamada understands he’s cooking for the New York market, so he has decided to occasionally incorporate such flourishes. </p>
<p id="bgiwW3">Yamada’s dining room will offer just 20 seats divided between a 12-seat counter with a few additional tables. While the space, which previously was home to Italian spot Remi to Go, is still under construction, Stefkov is working with Julien Legeard of local design firm the Prestige Group, who also schemed Omakase Room by Mitsu. The intimate restaurant will feature blonde wood that curves upward, meant to envelope the diner into a serene, cocoon-like environment — a contrast from the Midtown crowds. </p>
<p id="obFz2N">The upcoming opening comes at a time when sushi in New York is <a href="https://ny.eater.com/maps/best-sushi-nyc">having a moment</a>, but there’s also a rise in kaiseki options. Restaurants like Kajitsu, Hirohisa, and the late Kyo Ya paved the way for more recent additions like Tsukimi, Odo, the <a href="https://ny.eater.com/2021/7/19/22583990/chikara-sono-bbf-kappo-sono-opening-lower-east-side-nyc">recently opened </a>BBF, and the imminent Kappo Sono. Kaiseki Room by Yamada is expected to join this group in the fall.</p>
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https://ny.eater.com/2021/8/6/22612965/kaiseki-room-by-yamada-opening-midtown-nycKat Odell2021-08-04T13:47:29-04:002021-08-04T13:47:29-04:00Crowd Favorite Sugarfish Expands to Midtown East
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<img alt="a sign of sugarfish" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/tLFjGNgpD7zK_y6WDV8ufWIF-8A=/114x0:1934x1365/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69678465/web_fLEX_2804.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>This is the fourth Manhattan location of Sugarfish | Lexie Moreland/Sugarfish</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This is NYC’s fourth location of the popular omakase import from Los Angeles</p> <p id="tCkwQI">Sugarfish, the beloved Los Angeles omakase sushi import that <a href="https://ny.eater.com/2016/4/21/11428698/sugarfish-new-york-kazunori-sushi">touched down</a> in New York back in 2016, opened its fourth Manhattan location on August 4 at 152 East 53rd Street in Midtown East. Spanning about 1,500-square-feet, with 40 seats divided between the dining room and high-top bar, founder and Los Angeles sushi icon Kazunori Nozawa’s affordably-priced set menus — which already command lengthy waits in <a href="https://ny.eater.com/2016/11/3/13510944/sugarfish-nyc-menu-opens">Flatiron</a>, <a href="https://ny.eater.com/2019/3/13/18264225/sugarfish-open-soho-nyc">Soho</a> and Midtown West — debut in a part of town full of top tier Japanese restaurants</p>
<p id="0Tnl1D">It’s no secret that New York has an <a href="https://ny.eater.com/maps/best-sushi-nyc">appetite for sushi</a>. Right now the city has reached its peak with regard to the number of high-end omakase options. And Sugarfish slides into that chef’s-choice circle, but instead of menus that cost $150 and up as is the case for the top fine dining sushi establishments, Sugarfish prices its four New York dinner set meals from $29 for the seven-course “Trust Me Lite” to $65 for the newest addition, the 10-course “Don’t Think. Just Eat.Trust Me” menu, which pays tribute to Nozawa’s original restaurant Sushi Nozawa and is built of dishes he used to serve there — think nigiri bites like sea bream with shiso, and salmon with kombu. Lunch menus run a few dollars less than dinner and there are options to add extras like California uni and Hokkaido scallop nigiri. </p>
<p id="A3J8UJ">Despite some uneven <a href="https://ny.eater.com/2017/3/21/15005804/pete-wells-sugarfish-review-zero-stars">reviews</a> early on, Sugarfish has been extremely well-received here in New York, just as it was back in 2008 when the first Los Angeles location debuted. The brand still maintains its clean, minimalist aesthetic design by its longtime architecture firm Marmol Radziner. Unlike other NYC locations, the Midtown East outlet offers a spacious outdoor waiting area, and while the restaurant doesn’t accept reservations, guests can join a <a href="https://url.emailprotection.link/?bpb0-eNX2v5sijZG4NKamo0Sj20q_wI-nrsEQtdwwpE22cFnSLQux-9geXuK5YEHwhEEVWRVmzsoaeSx3Ocoj4tr2fzuDrxhYy800EdGKgAK2mZ_pwF1R-cKKTeIm_Foe">waitlist</a>. </p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="sushi tuna, salmon and hamachi" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jXdR7nokNryqzcxW0sJwqqhnt2A=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22761201/SUGARFISH_DTJE_Nigiri_Plate_1_637_Photo_Credit__Fried_Chicken_Studios.jpg">
<cite>Sugarfish</cite>
<figcaption>Sugarfish is known for its more affordably-price omakase menus </figcaption>
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<p id="kXwS47">The Sugarfish story begins in a Studio City strip mall 34 years ago when Nozawa opened his sliver of a Ventura Boulevard sushi joint, Sushi Nozawa, where customers seated at a short counter only had an option of a seasonal chef’s choice menu. Nozawa was one of the first, if not the first, chef in Los Angeles to serve an often-changing, menu-less meal that he determined, and over the years he became known for his fanatical approach to sourcing pristine ingredients (at a time when many deemed a California roll to be sushi), along with offering then-uncommon dishes like aniko (monkfish liver). He insisted that diners trust him via an Edomae-rooted omakase menu, so much so that Nozawa plastered posters behind his counter that read “Trust Me.” This idea continues at Sugarfish, and its chef’s choice set menus.</p>
<p id="xq7iOX">In 2008, Nozawa, along with longtime friend Jerry Greenberg and a number of other partners, including Nozawa’s son Tom,<strong> </strong>launched their first Sugarfish location in Marina del Rey. It was a more casual, lower-priced extension of Sushi Nozawa (which cost around $100 per person) serving the same top-quality fish via set omakase menus that ranged in price from around $19 to just under $40. One main difference here was that patrons all sat at tables or a bar and all the sushi comes from a kitchen and there is no chef behind a counter, which is the case at all Sugarfish locations.</p>
<p id="5zOm4v">Sugarfish was an instant hit in Los Angeles and the team set out to expand.</p>
<p id="hRq5zL">After commanding one of Los Angeles’ most respected sushi counters for decades, and earning street cred as the city’s godfather of traditional omakase sushi, Nozawa decided to focus his efforts on Sugarfish, and he <a href="https://la.eater.com/2012/5/17/6585663/sugarfish-replaces-sushi-nozawa-now">flipped his legendary Studio City</a> restaurant into another location. Today, the brand claims 15 eateries between Los Angeles and New York, and also counts a sister concept, KazuNori, which is dedicated to handrolls at six outlets, including one <a href="https://ny.eater.com/2017/3/7/14845424/kazunori-hand-roll-sensation-nyc-nomad">in New York</a>. </p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt="sugarfish dining room" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/zftMosZ_V1qQZptwaF2hE8VY_AU=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22761215/web_fLEX_9119.jpg">
<cite>Lexie Moreland/Sugarfish</cite>
<figcaption>Sugarfish has kept its restaurants intimate despite the demand</figcaption>
</figure>
<p id="1TNEMI">Despite the brand’s popularity and perpetual waits at all locations, Sugarfish has refrained from opening larger restaurants and instead is focused on keeping its dining rooms intimate. Says Nozawa’s son, Tom Nozawa, “We like to keep our restaurants small so we can control the quality of the food, which is our central focus.” </p>
<p id="Aj1ovn">Sugarfish’s hours of operation will run Monday to Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to midnight; and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. </p>
<figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/btc1vH0YLz6VPzcumESGHS-C9As=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22761223/web_fLEX_9797.jpg">
<cite>Lexie Moreland/Sugarfish</cite>
<figcaption>Unlike other Manhattan locations, the newest Sugarfish has an outdoor waiting area</figcaption>
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https://ny.eater.com/2021/8/4/22609678/sugarfish-midtown-east-sushi-resturant-opening-nycKat Odell2021-07-19T18:29:39-04:002021-07-19T18:29:39-04:00Acclaimed Chef Chikara Sono Launches Return to NYC With BBF, a Casual and Fun Japanese Tavern
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<img alt="inside a Japanese restaurant" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/kOfGqUaFaWgoNmXlZeayziGZBDM=/114x0:1934x1365/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69603538/IMG_6472.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>BBF is opening on July 21, 2021</figcaption>
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<p>The more formal, eight-seat Kappo Sono is a forthcoming kappo-style omakase restaurant slated to open in the fall</p> <p id="RObVZV">After more than a decade commanding Kyo Ya, one of New York’s most respected kaiseki kitchens, chef Chikara Sono — who earned one Michelin star and an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/11/dining/reviews/kyo-ya-nyc-restaurant-review.html">enthusiastic three star</a> <em>New York Times</em> review during his time there — has <a href="https://ny.eater.com/2019/3/27/18283814/chikara-sono-departing-kyo-ya">decamped</a> to partner with longtime friend Makoto Suzuki (Brooklyn Ball Factory, Bozu, Samurai Mama). They will first open <a href="https://www.bbfkapposono.com/">BBF</a> in a 2,000-square-foot space, located at 177 Ludlow Street in the former home of Black Tap on the Lower East Side, and in an adjoining space, Kappo Sono will open at a later date.</p>
<p id="yz6W8E">BBF, which stands for Brooklyn Ball Factory, debuts on July 21 and is the more casual of the two restaurants. A bright and airy, white-washed space, it is a 54-seat upscale tavern that proffers Japanese-Western fused dishes. In Japan, izakayas — tavern-like eateries whose menus are designed to pair with alcohol — can range from hole-in-the-wall gyoza joints to elegant engagements offering top-grade otoro and uni. BBF falls somewhere in the middle. The casual ambiance is matched with a menu that ranges from more approachable dishes starting at $7 to other seasonal dishes that cost up to $40.</p>
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<p class="caption">Clockwise from top left: “sushi bombs,” grilled Magret duck, fuwatoro (a soft omelet in dashi sauce served over rice), and anago fish and chips</p>
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<p id="4HGGjb">Expect plates like croquettes stuffed with Australian greenlip abalone beside a creamy truffle sauce and kale chips; fried chicken with burdock chips; and grilled Magret duck with umami salt and wasabi mashed potatoes. Sono’s signature farm salad takes shape as more of a crudité dish, and requires guests to dip root vegetables into a side dressing. He’s also going to offer “sushi bombs,” rice that’s been shaped in mini spheres with a variety of toppings and fillings like flower-cut avocado and yuzu salsa, clearly inspired by his partner Suzuki’s restaurant <a href="https://www.bozubrooklyn.com/">Bozu</a> in Williamsburg that highlight these round nigiri bites. Ultimately, Sono says that his menu represents dishes he loves to eat.</p>
<div class="c-float-right"> <figure class="e-image">
<img alt="Chef Chikara Sono" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Op3CoZ2n7skQyLLCyLEM20mF3U0=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22727211/IMG_6857.jpg">
<figcaption>Chef Chikara Sono</figcaption>
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<p id="RQkgxe">But it would be too simplistic to say BBF is simply serving Japanese bar food. After all, Sono hails from a longtime kaiseki background — he credits Fumiaki Totsuka, owner of Tokyo’s longstanding kaiseki fixture Nadaman — as his mentor, and it’s there he learned the craft before moving to New York for his decade-plus tenure at Kyo Ya. And his kaiseki background comes into focus here at BBF; diners will note attention to the seasons, along with various cooking methods (fried, grilled, steamed, raw, baked) that are requisite in kaiseki cookery. </p>
<p id="Wdd5rX">As for the more formal eight-seat Kappo Sono, tucked away discreetly behind BBF and slated to open this fall, the chef will serve a seasonally-driven omakase informed by his kaiseki roots. And as its name suggests, the meal will run kappo-style: A dining format in which guests sit at a counter and watch as the chef prepares each course. Kappo dining centers on intimacy and close proximity between the chef and diner. And, typically, when a course is ready, the chef passes it directly to the diner. </p>
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<img alt="an orange cocktail" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/IAMR29tS-Azky_cwOh_oREWy9Ic=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22727169/IMG_6563.jpg">
<figcaption>Nana Shimosegawa consulted on the cocktail menu</figcaption>
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<p id="DP5XAl">For now, the attention is on BBF. With its long 14-seat bar and dining counter up front, plus tables toward the back, it’s clear that the attention here is on booze as much as it is on bites. The team hired Nana Shimosegawa, who was the first female bartender at the East Village’s lauded Japanese cocktail den Angel’s Share, to consult on a cocktail list that includes drams like the shochu-spiked Uncolored Garden with lemongrass, shiso, and tomato water; and a Japanese vodka number flavored with pineapple, matcha, and orange blossom. Meanwhile, the team brought on New York’s premier sake sommelier Chizuko Niikawa (who has shaped sake menus at some of the city’s finest restaurants, including Daniel and Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare) to curate around<strong> </strong>40 of the rice-based beverages to start.</p>
<p id="prZbIY">To further emphasize the authentic Japanese nature of the restaurants, BBF and Kappo Sono are among the first restaurants in New York to use a new water filtration system called Cleansui. Sono describes the water in Japan as “soft,” adding that this kind of water enhances the umami in dashi and even green tea. Since dashi is the backbone of Japanese cooking, he decided to install Cleansui to capture “the true flavors of dashi, similar to those made in Japan.”</p>
<p id="aR8Qfn">It all adds up to bringing New York one step closer to Japan. </p>
<p id="nQ0ej3">Over the last decade or so, the city’s collection of tremendously authentic Japanese restaurants has exploded. The number of high-end <a href="https://ny.eater.com/maps/best-sushi-nyc">omakase sushi</a> bars is at its peak, Japan’s number one yakitori chef has <a href="https://ny.eater.com/2020/1/10/21059864/yakitori-yoshiteru-ikegawa-nyc-torien-restaurant">opened a branch here</a>, while kaiseki itself as a category is expanding. Old guards like Kajitsu and Hirohisa initially set the stage, while newer additions <a href="https://ny.eater.com/2019/3/19/18272892/odo-flatiron-kaiseki-pete-wells-review">Odo</a> and <a href="https://ny.eater.com/2019/6/24/18693247/tsukimi-east-village-japanese-restaurant-kaiseki-nyc">Tsukimi</a> bring new takes on Japan’s highest form of culinary art. </p>
<p class="c-end-para" id="i8hh2V">For more than a decade, Sono quietly served some of New York’s most pristine and elegant kaiseki cookery in a cozy, subterranean space that felt wholly Japanese. He now switches that shokunin (craftsman) approach to BBF and Kappo Sono. </p>
<p id="KvuA2k">BBF will be open for dinner service five nights a week from Wednesday through Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m. The restaurant will accept reservations through <a href="https://resy.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw_8mHBhClARIsABfFgphhNw8IxQ6ZatOejxNfpcjGZfg-InP2W2bQpGpVsA0gSr5mn_5frfwaAmS8EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds&date=2021-07-17&seats=2">Resy</a>.</p>
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<img alt="nigiri sushi bomb being prepared" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/X0UL0nnsOST2aoYLAJTg4LVRMQY=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22727221/IMG_6764.jpg">
<figcaption>“Sushi bombs” being prepared here are a nod to co-owner Makoto Suziki’s Williamsburg restaurant Bozu</figcaption>
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<aside id="wyl9k6"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"ny-eater"}'></div></aside>
https://ny.eater.com/2021/7/19/22583990/chikara-sono-bbf-kappo-sono-opening-lower-east-side-nycKat Odell2021-06-10T15:51:51-04:002021-06-10T15:51:51-04:00The First U.S. Location of Hit Japanese Coffee Chain % Arabica Is Opening in Brooklyn
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<img alt="A cup of coffee by the Brooklyn Bridge" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/0dWQTBrFhIGJ1FHyoE27kpOj9jk=/114x0:1934x1365/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69435558/Arabica_DUMBO_Hot_Drink_and_View3.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>% Arabica is located steps from the East River waterfront | Courtesy of % Arabica</figcaption>
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<p>The Dumbo coffee shop sports % Arabica’s popular sleek design, a fancy espresso machine, and coffee beans are roasted à la minute</p> <p id="IHTeMC">Brooklyn lands the first U.S. outlet of sleek, Kyoto-based specialty coffee chain <a href="https://arabica.coffee/en/">% Arabica</a> on June 11 — and will perhaps be New York’s only coffee shop outfitted with one of those fancy, water-spraying <a href="https://www.bonappetit.com/story/toto-toilet">Toto toilets</a>, heated seat and all. </p>
<div class="c-float-right c-float-hang"> <figure class="e-image">
<img alt="A light wood-accented espresso machine sitting on a white counter with paper coffee cups stacked on top of the machine" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/PxYzzzzmLvKAlFPcP2A2C0TLbYE=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22650963/Arabica_DUMBO_Slayer_Machine_2.jpg">
<cite>% Arabica</cite>
<figcaption>A Slayer espresso machine at % Arabica</figcaption>
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<p id="2zoCvH">Similar to other % Arabica locations across the world, the 1,500-square-foot Brooklyn location, at 20 Old Fulton Street, is decked out with the shop’s signature clean, white aesthetic, a glowing white neon sign, counter seating for 14 (plus another 24 on the outdoor patio), and a stylish customized <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/slayer-espresso-machine-upgrading-coffee-technology">Slayer espresso machine</a>. Founder Kenneth Shoji — who embarked on a coffee career less than a decade ago after purchasing a coffee farm in Hawaii — strives to share quality-minded espresso-based drinks and Chemex drip coffees prepared from some of the city’s freshest, single-origin beans. </p>
<p id="d3IUFR">It’s the focus on freshness that sets this brand apart from other local third wave coffee outfits. Half of % Arabica’s locations, including this Brooklyn shop, are outfitted with a “green bean corner,” where guests can select unroasted coffee beans from places like Ethiopia and Uganda. There’s usually around seven seasonally-changing options,<strong> </strong>in addition to a house roast that leans toward the medium-darker profile. An employee will custom roast those beans à la minute to fit a patron’s desired roast profile. The roasting, which takes place on a Tornado King machine, lasts around seven minutes before it’s ready to take home. </p>
<p id="v5zT8B">Shoji explains that coffee bean freshness is paramount because coffee is a perishable product, and beans immediately start oxidizing after they’re roasted; they typically maintain their flavor and aroma for only around a week. It’s the reason why he decided to add this bespoke roasting operation: To better control his coffee quality, and to offer customers more flexibility in choosing a roast style. </p>
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<img alt="A coffee shop in Dumbo Brooklyn" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/HRqNbdcgJjskgBqHebcP5CkJvJ8=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22650942/Arabica_DUMBO_Interior7.jpg">
<cite>Courtesy of % Arabica</cite>
<figcaption>% Arabica is known for its sleek design</figcaption>
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<p id="V2ed0K">As the quality of coffee beverages rise across the U.S. and other countries, Shoji is clearly onto something. In the last six years, since debuting his first cafe in Japan, Shoji has grown % Arabica to an astonishing 87 global outlets, and he currently has additional New York, U.S., and global cafes in the works. </p>
<p id="7k6WYY">“I fell in love with the community, and the amazing view of Manhattan,” Shoji tells Eater about his decision to debut in Dumbo, just steps from the East River waterfront. </p>
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<img alt="The front of a coffee shop." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/kB-tIK_r7ekTtQFMOqUGXc8PLXc=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22650951/Arabica_DUMBO_Storefront4.jpg">
<cite>% Arabica</cite>
<figcaption>% Arabica spans a 1,500-square-foot space</figcaption>
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<p id="KXLiyj">Shoji chalks his success up to his “passion for simple, timeless coffee, and design” — the core ethos of % Arabica. But, surely, his catchy Instagram-friendly branding can’t hurt, either. While all % Arabica locations channel a similar white-washed, minimalist look, Shoji works with different local designers for each location. In the case of Brooklyn, he teamed up with French studio Cigue to scheme a clean, industrial look, with red brick walls and whimsical touches like Chemex lighting fixtures. Shoji notes that Chemex was first produced in the 1940s, and is considered an important part of mid-century modern design, one he incorporates into many of his cafés. </p>
<p id="4TTJZU">Ultimately, % Arabica is a simple place with simple drinks, though all hinged on quality beans. Two coffee preps, a handful of customizable bean options, and some coffee-friendly snacks sourced from Balthazar, such as canelés and almond croissants. And don’t forget about the showering Toto toilet, too. </p>
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<img alt="A hand holding a brown coffee cup emblazoned with the % Arabica logo, against a backdrop of the Brooklyn Bridge" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/krODwDzDKW64Zokct7QFL-A_Cw8=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22650949/Arabica_DUMBO_Hot_Drink_and_View2.jpg">
<cite>% Arabica</cite>
<figcaption>% Arabica’s first U.S. location is in Dumbo, Brooklyn</figcaption>
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<aside id="s8RR0E"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"ny-eater"}'></div></aside>
https://ny.eater.com/2021/6/10/22528373/arabica-first-usa-location-nyc-brooklyn-openingKat Odell2021-05-25T13:39:43-04:002021-05-25T13:39:43-04:00In a Rare Appearance, the Chef of Japan’s Top Yakitori Restaurant Will Cook in NYC
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<figcaption>Tokyo’s legendary chef Yoshiteru Ikegawa | Courtesy of <a class="ql-link" href="https://showahospitality.com/" target="_blank">Shōwa Hospitality</a></figcaption>
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<p>Chef Yoshiteru Ikegawa will leave his post at one Michelin-starred yakitori bar Torishiki to cook at his Noho restaurant, Torien</p> <p id="JbLkti">In a rare appearance, Tokyo’s legendary chef Yoshiteru Ikegawa — owner of impossible-to-book, one Michelin-starred yakitori bar Torishiki — is set to cook outside of Japan. It’s Ikegawa-san’s second time cooking in New York since he opened Torien, the upscale grilled chicken omakase concept he launched in Noho <a href="https://ny.eater.com/2020/1/10/21059864/yakitori-yoshiteru-ikegawa-nyc-torien-restaurant">right before the pandemic hit</a> with Mexico City-based partner Edo Lopez of <a href="https://showahospitality.com/">Shōwa Hospitality</a>.</p>
<p id="cEjUDZ">Ikegawa-san will personally tame the flames of his minimalist-designed, 17-seat counter-style restaurant from May 26 through June 10 — the longest period of time the chef has ever been away from Torishiki (he only cooked for a handful of days for Torien’s opening). There will be nightly seatings offered at 5:30 and 9 p.m. for the 13-course, chef’s choice seasonal skewer menu ($150). The dishes at Torien haven’t changed much since debuting last year, Ikegawa-san says, although there is now one extra skewer offered to guests. For those who haven’t dined at Torishiki, the chicken-themed omakase in New York is “not much different” from the menu offered in Japan.</p>
<p id="VzcPQX">Before Torien’s opening last year, Ikegawa-san came to New York briefly to get the spot up and running, and then Yoshiteru Maekawa, an apprentice from Torishiki, took over. Since then, Atsushi Ganaha — former chef de cuisine of Kips Bay’s <a href="https://ny.eater.com/2020/6/26/21304928/sushi-omakase-o-ya-tim-nancy-cushman-nyc-restaurant">shuttered</a> sushi bar O Ya — has stepped in to run the place in Ikegawa-san’s absence. </p>
<p id="kiL5iO">Diners can expect skewers like chicken artery and chicken skin, interspersed with small palate-cleansing dishes like ume gazpacho and daikon radish. As before, Ikegawa-san sources flavor-rich Amish birds from Pennsylvania and New York to build his prized menu of chicken skewers. But the magic behind Ikegawa-san’s cooking doesn’t only fall on his prime ingredient. </p>
<p id="qSF3lv">According to prolific Tokyo-based diner John Hirai, one of the top reviewers on Japan’s highly respected restaurant rating site, <a href="https://tabelog.com/en/">Tabelog</a>, “The secret to [Ikegawa-san’s] yakitori is not just the quality of the chicken,” which he sources from Fukushima Prefecture. But, it’s “how he lines up the binchotan charcoal” with no spaces between blocks to create maximum fire, he explains to Eater. He also grills the skewers as close to the embers as possible without actually touching them, which keeps the chicken’s juices intact, while crisping the outside meat. And for those who have met Ikegawa-san before, the chef’s devotion to his craft is evident with a glance of his nails, which have partly melted down and is proof of how hot his grill becomes, and how close he holds his fingers to the glowing coals.</p>
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<img alt="Pieces of chicken are held up by chopsticks and grilled over an open flame with charcoal." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/EAcA2dwOo-WQ82PbzJN5XLD0Jas=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19592343/Torien_1119_LizClayman_041.jpg">
<cite>Liz Clayman/Torien [Official]</cite>
<figcaption>Chicken skewers are carefully cooked on binchotan charcoal</figcaption>
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<p id="vKnAzc">Torishiki is the type of restaurant that often lands on must-dine bucket lists, especially for people interested in Japanese cuisine. The modest place, which also counts 17 counter-only seats, debuted in 2007 in Tokyo’s Shinagawa neighborhood, and since then has gone on to become the <a href="https://tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1316/A131601/13041029/">number one rated</a> yakitori spot in not just all of Tokyo, but in all of Japan, according to Tabelog. </p>
<p id="ET419y">And although the Torishiki team technically claims to accept reservations by phone one month out on the first day of the month, the truth is that those calls generally go unanswered. The much sought-after seats at Torishiki falls under the introduction-only category of restaurant that’s quite common in Japan, which means that in order to get in, guests have to receive a referral from a regular diner — which only adds to the difficulty of nabbing a reservation and the allure of the restaurant. “I really want New York people to enjoy Japanese yakitori,” Ikegawa-san says.</p>
<aside id="JNQ78s"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"ny-eater"}'></div></aside>
https://ny.eater.com/2021/5/25/22453118/yoshiteru-ikegawa-yakitori-restaurant-nyc-torien-torishikiKat Odell2019-02-04T14:21:23-05:002019-02-04T14:21:23-05:0014 NYC Restaurants That Feel Like Japan
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<img alt="A fish plate from Okonomi" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/7rUTseAhjbhUykIPrRl07G8b9Y8=/219x0:2000x1336/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62993639/20141030-005-Okonomi.0.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>A fish plate from Okonomi | <a class="ql-link" href="https://www.instagram.com/nicksolares/" target="_blank">Nick Solares</a></figcaption>
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<p>From sterling omakases to rowdy izakaya, here’s where to eat in NYC to feel transported to Japan</p> <p id="A1LxVv">For years, West Coast cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco dominated the United States’s Japanese dining scene, with wonderfully faithful experiences found at restaurants like Beverly Hills’ longstanding Urasawa and San Mateo’s newer import Sushi Yoshizumi. But over the last decade, and really in the last five years, New York City has welcomed an unprecedented spate of dining concepts that feel and taste so genuinely Japanese, that dining at a top omakase haunt in the homeland might not feel like as much of a revelation as it would have 10 or 15 years ago.</p>
<p id="XaUFJC">Today, New York offers yakitori based with a 50-year-old tare sauce, elusive species of hyper seasonal uni, and bars that stock more Japanese whisky than most even in Tokyo. Below, 15 of NYC’s most transportive Japanese dining and drinking concepts.</p>
https://ny.eater.com/maps/best-japanese-restaurants-nycKat Odell