Niko – Respecting the Craft of Sushi

I first heard about the Niko project at “The Story of Sushi”, a panel discussion held by Trevor Corson last summer. Mr. Corson invited two sushi chefs to join him in a discussion of sushi in America. The chef that represented the traditional methods (the method I agree with), was Chef Hiro, the former second in command at Yasuda. As I listened, I was in awe of his respect for the art form. Sushi rice was to be cooked differently depending on the season, the balance of soy sauce and wasabi must be perfect, and that the dining experience should be a rewarding one for both the chef and the patrons.

When the panel concluded, I found chef Hiro in the hallway and went over for a quick talk. He invited us to join him at his sushi bar when Niko opens, and promises and excellent dining experience. I fired up my iPhone and typed in “Niko” on my list of restaurants to try.

Each time I drive by Houston and Mercer, I’d try to glance inside. Five months would pass before I would hear of the project again.

Mr. Levy was standing at the door when we entered, and welcomed us to Niko as we walked upstairs into the actual restaurant space. There was a bar for drinks on the right, the sushi bar on the left, and about a dozen tables behind us. The space was tight, but intimate and thoughtfully designed.

We sat in the middle of the 6 seat sushi bar, in front of Hiro-san, who was busy making pieces of sushi and hand-rolls for other diners. We ordered 2 dishes from the kitchen, and spent some time watching Hiro-san work his craft behind the counter.

The high seats give diners a good vantage point to watch the action, you will certainly be pleased with the view. From the way he works the knife, to the slick motions of grabbing the rice, dabbing the wasabi, and forming the nigiri sushi, this was food art in action.

All the fluid motion of knife, fish and rice was however too often interrupted by his pen. After plating the sushi, he has to write down the types of each fish for the wait staff. If this was making me cringe, I can only imagine the frustration it brings a chef. I’ve never had proper training, but I can recognize about 80% of what was being plated. Some training can definitely make this operation run smoother.

The steamed calamari with uni was fun and delicious way to start the meal. Mix the sauce and scallions, then pour onto the bowl of calamari. Well balanced, and delicate in flavor, what an appetizer should taste like.

While I came primarily for sushi, the miso-cured salmon with sesame sauce was a revelation. James London, formerly of Bouley cooked a brilliant piece of salmon. The fish was beautifully charred from the outside, and completely raw in the center with a silky smooth texture. This is an advantage for the chef cooking in a Japanese restaurant, we appreciate raw cuisine.

It was time for the main event to start. Hiro-san formally greeted us, and I reminded him that we met last summer and we are keeping our promise to visit his restaurant “when it opened”. I jokingly complained that the opening missed my birthday in November, to which he cracked a smile and said “my bad!”.

We started with the more traditional varieties, including many Yasuda classics, such as the scallop with lemon zest and a dab of sea salt. The quality of the fish is top notch, his cuts are very precise and slightly larger than that of his former mentor. The wasabi is built in to nigiri sushi, although he does provide you with a tiny mound of wasabi if you prefer a heavier taste.

My only complaint for the first part of the sushi was the rice. Yasuda was fanatical about rice quality, and has attained a cult-like following among foodies. Hiro-san is also very demanding on rice, but the rice felt too moist and each grain was not as distinct in texture. Luckily as the meal went on, the rice dried out slightly, and the texture felt a lot more refined.

We asked for more adventurous sushi, and got quite a few surprises. The sweet shrimp roe was something I have not seen at other restaurants, and the pickled plum hand roll was fantastic.

I absolutely adore the food, and the service between the server and the patron is comfortably attentive. If I must nitpick, the relationship between the server and the chef needs to be improved. At Yasuda, I once witnessed chef Yasuda lashing out in Japanese at the entire waitstaff for a mistake, all while the diners were still present. At Niko, I could sense and occasionally see the frustration between the chef and the servers. The wait staff needs to understand that they are here because of Hiro-san, not the other way around. When man spent the good part of his life perfecting his craft, it demands respect. Pay attention and learn the fish, and deliver the nori-wrapped sushi quickly before they get soggy, and most importantly, be patient. Once that’s sorted out, the potential of this place is huge.

For anyone who’s wondering, Niko (or rather the phrase niko niko) means smile. Get a seat at Hiro-san’s sushi bar, and you’ll find yourself smiling.

CS

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Niko (Make a Reservation)
170 Mercer St.
New York, NY 10013