An unprecedented exposure 

Located on the fourth floor of the behemoth Time Warner Center, the entrance feels like a forgotten passage into a hushed and spartan yet very relaxed room. Its focal point is the precious hinoki wood sushi counter, though the eye is equally drawn to an enormous forsythia tree. The staff assures your every comfort without ever seeming stiff. Even the angle of the counter’s footrest seems perfectly relaxing, if not revelatory. Still, a seat at the counter can feel like a high-stakes club for people who each seem to know Chef Masa Takayama better than the next. Is he serving you directly? If not, it doesn’t matter. The food is just as elevated, theatrical, and extraordinary without the backslapping. An exhaustive list of superlatives could be applied to any of the highly seasonal omakase meals here. The rice alone is worth its weight in stars. Suffice it to say this: the famed sea urchin risotto; barely opaque Ohmi beef with shaved white truffle; and toro caviar are even better than they sound. The sushi—from Thai sea bream to grilled freshwater eel—will leave you convinced that you have tasted the sea for the first time in your life.

 

 

 

 

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Text: María A. Bassaure ± Photo: NEW YORK NATIVES / OKANEN / NEW YORK TIMES / Jen m / GAYOUT / Momofuku Ko