We spent our special night at Sushi Noz when we visited NY. We were informed during the reservation that Chef Nozomu Abe would not presented at that day. It was okay for us as we once had the worst experience at the world-most famous sushi omakase place so nothing can be worse than that.
We arrived just a little bit early so we were first asked to wait in front of the ash room while the chefs prepared for the very last bit. Then, we got invited to the Hinoki room right on the reservation time. The dinning room definitely brought us back to Japan. Feel warm and familiar. There was a little sealed letter set in front of us. I found it such a lovely setup. Then, we ordered different Sake for that night Omakase. The price was quite high for a glass.
They started off with 6 dishes before followed by 11 sushi (including a hand-roll) then finished off with Miso soup, Tamakoyaki and the sweetest melon. All 6 dishes definitely one of the best combination of best ingredients. However, I found this far from Edomae style. It’s more of western style for us. Although, we still like all the dishes. For the sushi, I found it interesting the way they chose to serve us each ingredient like Ika was served fresh, chewy and crispy (usually served super soft). Then, the rest of the sushi lines were served in a softer texture manner in a good interesting way. But to be honest, we found the ingredients a bit simple than any other Omakase we’ve been to. Nothing beyond expectation. The meal finished with the sweetest melon from Hokkaido. I miss this course ending. I think a lot of Omakase places stop serving melon and replace with other type of dessert.
Definitely you will be satisfied with the Omakase course but I found it a bit pricey and not valued for paying $1,500 (including drinks and tip) for 2.
Small Omakase sushi on the UES, that has a great standing counter with a good lunch special!
I totally recommend it.
5.0
An omakase experience well worth their Michelin stars. The sushi is top notch, and the service and attention to detail are excellent, as should be expected at this caliber of restaurant. The atmosphere and venue are unique. I believe there are multiple counters, but they are separated from each other so diners have a very intimate experience with their sushi chefs. It was a very quiet and serene experience. If you you're looking for something quiet and calm, this is the place. I've been to a number of omakase places, and I think this one was memorable for me because the vibe was so different than the others. Don't get me wrong- the food was still incredible, though.
5.0
I love Sushi Noz. Aside from Atomix, it is my favorite restaurant in the city.
The service, atmosphere, and most importantly food are spectacular.
My favorite part of the experience is as it should be -- the sushi. They use wasabi in a way I've never really experienced before and there are many bites that you just wish that experience again. The flavor of each dish typically has many layers and you can amplify that even further with their drink pairing.
Often high end restaurants provide a pairing that detracts from the meal but that is very much not the case here.
I have been three times at this point and will go again.
Side note: their gift at the end of the meal rules
9.5/10
5.0
If I were able to give this sushiya 6 stars, I would. I went there on a Saturday night so it was not the famous Chef Noz. However, that didn't really affect the entire experience. Upon entering the dining area, the ambience was warm and welcoming. It was a very neat 8-seat setting. In front of you, on the table, was a welcome letter with your name on it. The server was very attentive as well as the sommelier. The sommelier clearly explained the menu and I ended up with Kirinzan Junmai Daiginjou. After I finished the first glass, I was thinking about trying a different one. The sommelier was kind enough to let me try before pouring the entire glass and I indeed didn't like it. So I just ordered the same sake. I really appreciate how the sommelier cared for each detail.
After choosing the drinks, now let's focus on the food. The Chef that day was Yudai Shibata. He was very friendly and professional (of course for a two-stat Michelin restaurant) and would answer any questions. The omakase started with the juicy oyster. It was a very refreshing appetizer and I'm glad that it also went well with the sake. The journey continued with Hokkaido uni and flounder sashimi. No special dressing so everything you tasted was from their most original flavor. This was another thing I love about this restaurant: nothing too fancy but the ingredient itself. Then there was the bonito. The skin was crisply fried but the fish was still raw. The different textures exploded in your mouth along with the nori. The next one was a show. You can see the sous chef squeezing the noodles into the boiled water. The noodles were not soba or anything traditional. Rather, they were made from fish so there was an extra layer of umami. The noodles blended well with the soup and fish. The last dish before entering the main sushi session was fried silver flounder. It was fried crisply and with the caviar on it, the taste was complex but simple at the same time. It was complex because you have the hot fried fish and cold caviar and sauce. The crispy outer skin, the soft meat, the tiny bites of caviar, all together formed an enjoyable dish. It was simple because it's just tasty.
Now it came to the protagonist (or I should say protagonists). All kans of sushis were made simple: seafood, wasabi, shoyu, and shyari (vinegar sushi rice). With the combination, you can clearly tell the difference between each fish. The sushi started with some light ones such as kinmedai and shrimps. Then you know the climax is coming when you see the tuna family: from akami to chutoro to the exquisite ootoro. When picking up the sushi, you can still feel the warmth left from the chef's hands, which I think is the main difference between those sushi that were pre-made. Each kan was made in perfect shape. After the ootoro was different styles of sushi, such as uni gunkan and anago temaki. Finally the sushi dishes ended up with tamago and miso soup.
The desserts were also well designed. The first one was corn ice cream, which I have never tasted before. It tastes like iced corn chowder. And the final one was my favorite: the Hokkaido Yubari melon. So sweet yet so easy to consume. Although you would already expect good food from a two star, the actual presentation still exceeded my expectations. Probably that's why this sushiya deserves two stars. Before leaving I also had a pleasant small chat with Chef Shibata. I'm certain that I would visit Sushi Noz again and don't be disappointed if the Chef is not Chef Noz.
