From Manhattan to Queens to Brooklyn, Asian restaurants offer diners a variety of elegant and fast-casual options to appeal to a variety of tastes and budgets.
Refined Dining
Sushi Ginza Onodera
After a year-long pandemic pause, Michelin starred Sushi Ginza Onodera has reopened in Midtown with a new Head Sushi Chef from Sushi Ginza Onodera in Honolulu and the flagship in Tokyo, Chef Takuya Kubo. The restaurant holds true to Edomae-style sushi and techniques of aging, curing, and preserving fish, offering a luxurious, flavor-driven omakase experience. Different from other sushi restaurants, this style uses koshihikari rice seasoned with two different types of red vinegar, one dark, and one light, that give it a light brown hue. The menu showcases the best seasonal fish from Japan's Toyosu Market (formerly Tsukiji Market), such as kegani hairy crab with caviar and tomato gêlée; tataki-style katsuo (bonito aka skipjack tuna) with garlic chips, sesame, ginger and shiso; and grilled kinki rockfish marinated in light Saikyo miso from Kyoto. The multi-course omakase ranks among the best globally, and a less expensive lunch option welcomes you to experience the chef's artistry at three levels.
Nami Nori
Nami Nori specializes in open temaki, a variation on traditional Japanese nigiri. Shaped like an open taco, the temaki come with a variety of fillings ranging from tuna poke and coconut shrimp to vegetarian versions like maitake truffle and avocado "toast." Now with outdoor and indoor dining at the West Village favorite, Nami Nori also offers delivery and takeaway including an elaborate dinner temaki set to enjoy at home.
Koyo
Kōyō is a new double-concept Japanese restaurant in Astoria with two options for high-end Japanese cuisine: seasonally driven sushi omakase and kaiseki dining. Executive Chef Darry Liu (Eleven Madison Park, Shuko, Ichimura at Uchu) stages the distinct dining experiences under one roof with an eight-seat sushi omakase bar and a separate kaiseki area. Ingredients are sourced from the Yanagibashi Rengo Ichiba and Toyosu fish markets in Japan.
Unusual and in the Middle
LAUT Singapura
Gramercy's LAUT Singapura has created a special Peranakan tasting menu highlighting buah keluak, a fruit native to the mangrove swamps of Southeast Asia. The little-known cuisine originated from the Peranakans, an ethnic community found predominantly in Singapore, Malaysia, and Medan (Indonesia). With a mix of Thai, Javanese, Malay, and Chinese influences, the food culture blends Southeast Asian ingredients with distinct spices and elaborate cooking techniques passed down from generation to generation. The Peranakan menu at the Singaporean restaurant will explore the flavors and ingredients of this multi-dimensional cuisine, with each dish including the star ingredient buah keluak, such as buah keluak ice cream with black sesame paste.
Casual Eats
Silky Kitchen
For an Asian experience that's casual and authentic, Silky Kitchen serves Hunan-style dishes of Central China, including spicy soup noodles and dumplings. Hunanese spice or heat is often considered hotter than Sichuan food, using both vinegar and pepper. The menu is based on 16 toppings, a combination of rice, and rice noodles, all combined to a customer-specified spice level. The restaurant has two locations, the original in Union Square and the new Times Square location that opened during the pandemic.
Ichiran
Popular ramen restaurant ICHIRAN has sites in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Their most popular menu item is the Classic Tonkotsu Ramen, the product of years of development and refinement in Japan. Noodles are made thin and straight in the Hakata style, and Ichiran's distinctive spicy red sauce complements the broth. By focusing on just one type of ramen, Ichiran allows customization where diners can choose their preferences on seven dimensions of flavor such as flavor strength, amount of garlic and spice, firmness of the noodles, and more. The innovative ramen booth provides a focus for meal enjoyment.
noreetuh
noreetuh, a modern Hawaiian restaurant with influences from Asia and the Pacific, is open for outdoor dining and has launched a variety of carefully organized plates. The East Village restaurant is known for its flavorful and inventive musubis, a popular snack in Hawaii made of rice wrapped with seaweed with a slice of meat or other toppings. Selections include spicy salmon tartare with tobiko and spicy mayo; galbi, braised beef short rib and kimchi; and shiitake mushroom with kombu and ginger.
Momosan Ramen & Sake
A casual restaurant from Iron Chef and sushi master Morimoto in Midtown, Momosan Ramen & Sake brings the Asian Hall of Famer's favorite food and drinks from his home in Hiroshima, Japan, to his adopted home in New York City. Momosan's signature favorites for lunch and dinner include appetizers, ramen, rice bowls, sushi rolls, nigiri sushi, sashimi, and Momosan sets that will offer diners a choice of an appetizer and ramen.
Lotus + Cleaver
Lotus + Cleaver is a new Chinese fast-casual restaurant in JACX&CO, a curated collection of culinary concepts in the heart of Long Island City, Queens. Partner Erika Chou and executive chef Doron Wong, the team behind popular Thai restaurant Wayla and the Japanese-Italian concept Kimika, offer a menu that highlights a mix of traditional and modern Chinese flavors. Guests curate their own meals, with assistance from restaurant staff, creating make-your-own bowls featuring locally sourced ingredients.
