Cuisine:

• Japanese
• Sushi bar

Naoe Japanese Restaurant Description:
The arrival of this unique little (17-seat) chef-owned Japanese indie was a breath of fresh air. In a calm, oasis-like setting, lone chef Kevin Cory serves just one $26 omakase (chef's choice) multi-course dinner of traditionally rooted yet creative dishes nightly, followed by à la carte sushi till diners drop. The bargain bento boxes hold an assortment of heart-healthy low-salt/low-fat dishes that change depending on market freshness, but are always comparable in quality to those in New York or Japan's best, and priciest, restaurants: naturally sweet roasted acorn squash filled with chawanmushi (silky custard studded with seafood and mushrooms); foie gras-like monkfish liver, its richness balanced by subtly sweet-tart soy and saké-marinated organic persimmon; kombu seaweed-cured fluke sashimi; and much more. The quantity is ample enough alone for lighter appetites, but most, wisely, follow with ultra-fresh nigiri sushi, like buttery Scottish salmon, which Cory precision-bastes with a deeply complex house-made shoyu blend and fresh wasabi. To accompany, there's artisan saké from his family's historic Nakamura Brewery in Japan. Two cautions: Though the ambience is neighborhood-friendly, meals are strictly reservations-only (seatings at 8 p.m., 9 p.m. and midnight). And while Cory accommodates dietary restrictions with advance notice, don't expect "bagel rolls" or similar non-authentic gimmickry.


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