Short & Sweet Sushi Notes
Where sushi appreciators (or snobs, both true) can find peace in New York City
In honor of no one lifting a singular finger today, as is your right, I will keep this week’s newsletter nice and brief. New York City, as we know, is a city of pure abundance. No one has seemed to nail down the exact number of sushi-offering restaurants exist in the city, but I did try to find out.
Sushi is one of few foods that can go really, really wrong, or really, REALLY right. It is my duty, as a novice food critic/snob/writer/etc. to make sure you lean toward the latter, and never the former. I think sushi is one of the most incredible foods in the world— a beautiful marriage of fresh fish and sushi rice with increasingly superfluous toppings ranging from something decadent like A5 Wagyu to something weird like fried avocado. What is special about New York is that in order to have incredibly sushi, you don’t need to spend $700 on omakase. I am sure that would be incredible, but lets all bffr about what we can and can’t afford in the city. The following are my favorite sushi restaurants in New York and they all happen to be affordable!
*Briefly interrupting because I just saw an “croissant onigiri” on Instagram and I fear we have gone too far… *
Hibino
Jackson and 50th, Henry and Pacific
HATE to give this one up because I am a mild gatekeeper when it matters. This is the best of the best of sushi New York has to offer packaged in the coziest little shoebox of a restaurant in Long Island City. They have a larger location in Boerum Hill/Brooklyn Heights that I feel less enamored by but is equally great. Hibino LIC takes reservations by phone, and is a ~5 table joint with one long communal table in the center of their small space.
Hibino stands apart for three reasons: their lunch special, the homemade tofu, and the QUALITY. Their lunch entrees sit between $12 and $27, with a $23 chirashi which is a freaking steal. Rolls don’t exceed $6.50, unless it is something fancy or a special, and their abbreviated menu retains a diverse selection of affordable bites. I guess the fresh made tofu is a hard selling point for non-tofu eaters but is worth being adventurous and giving a try. Served in a small glass carafe with a bowl of ginger and scallions and a small bottle of dashi, the cold silken tofu is eaten with a spoon topped with all its accoutrements. It is so delicious in a way I can’t really describe, and apart from a journey to Flushing, is really difficult to find. Additional Hibino specialties are the daily Obanzai that are displayed on a folded chalkboard propped up beside your table when you sit down. They range from fried chicken wings, to marinated tomatos, to pickled daikon, all equally delicious and exciting.
The star of the show, to no one’s surprise, is the fish—reasonably priced, quickly prepared, tender, flavorful and fresh-as-a-daisy. Every meal here has been alarmingly good, and I am always stunned by the cuts of sushi atop their Hako Sushi (box pressed sushi with shiso leaf and miso sandwiched between rectangular layers of rice), and the generous quantity and quality of fish included in their Chirashi. Objectively the best meal in the world, Chirashi is a bed of sushi rice (yum), an assortment of prepared sashimi (yum x2), and Hibino tops each bowl with shredded tamago which is a crucial addition. This is always what to order, if you ask me, but there isn’t a thing on the menu I wouldn’t recommend.
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The takeout, though always less of an experience without Hibino’s adorable little setting, is still so good. On my birthday this year, my family sat on my sister’s floor around an enormous tray of Hibino rolls, sipping Sake, and watching the Grammy’s. It was perfect.
*Reservations can be made over the phone—walk-ins are certainly allowed, though it can get full pretty quickly during dinner hours*
Uotora
A recent addition to my map, Uotora is the hidden-gem neighborhood sushi spot of my dreams. A 15 ish minute walk from home, Uotora is tucked onto a remote block in Crown Heights. Entering the restaurant for the first time, I found myself in a very quiet, very calm restaurant filled with patrons silently nodding as they enjoyed their meals. The focal point of the restaurant is the Omakase bar facing the sushi chefs, with a handful of tables dispersed through the rest of the dining room. Like Hibino, it is recommended to call for a reservation, and be sure to note whether you are booking omakase or a-la-carte. While I haven’t had the chance to sit at the omakase counter yet, I hope that can be a special outing in the near future. Based on the more casual dinners I have had there so far, I am certain their omakase is exceptional and comes in at a relatively reasonable pricetag, $85 for a standard 10 piece sushi experience with an appetizer, hand roll, and miso soup, or $105 for the same set up with the addition of a sashimi assortment.
Of their appetizers, I have had the miso soup (one of my favorite foods) and the nasu nibitashi, a delictate and tender eggplant marinated in dashi. Their fatty tuna roll, sweet bean curd roll, and eel roll are all exceptional. The fish is perfect and the rolls are simple and elevated with toppings only when necessary. Next time, I might have to get the $18 fried soft shell crab roll with avocado, cucumber, shiso, sesame and a side of cilantro ponzu sauce. Delish!
*Reservations can be made over the phone—walk-ins are certainly allowed, though it can get full pretty quickly during dinner hours*
Osakana
A forever favorite, and previously featured in the newsletter, Osakana remains some of New York City’s very best sushi grade fish. Their Sushi Deluxe ($32), Chirashi Deluxe ($25), and DIY Temaki Handroll set for two ($75) are some of my treats to get myself, whether for a mid-day meal strolling through the East Village, or an indulgent dinner after a long day. You can read the full rundown in the previous newsletter linked, but I will continue to sing their praises.
Osakana also hosts uni shucking classes and offers sushi making classes for groups of 1-6. They also do catering if anyone is looking to absolutely ball out on a birthday party. This is on the “one day” list, of things I can’t afford but need to do at least once. Head over to the East Village email for more deets!! xo
Next on the sushi journey… Also drop favorite sushi spots in the comments (or text me)
See you next week !
if my sushi not fresh as a daisy i don't want it!