Ichimura At Brushstroke
“Next came a long plate of small zensai such as burdock roots, marinated daikon, herring roe, and monkfish liver.”
“- Omakase's usually offer around ten nigiri and a hand roll, and can range in price from $45 to $100+.”
“The most memorable was this uni over daikon that was just a buttery revelation.”
Ichimura At Brushstroke
Takes Reservations: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
PokéStop Nearby: Yes
Price range.
$$$$ Price range Above $61
8 reviews
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I came, I saw, I conquered.
To be fair, the Manchild and I had sky high expectations walking into Ichimura last Friday night, having had an earth-shattering, life-changing, gravity-defying dinner at a top sushi restaurant in Tokyo years ago. That singular experience has been unsurpassed by any other sushi joint we've visited in the US. Having heard from many that Ichimura is one of the best, if not the best sushi establishment in NYC, we decided to pay a visit. After all, a $500 meal for two at Ichimura is cheaper than flying to Japan, right?
Turns out that the glowing halo Ichimura carries is much deserved, as the entire experience from arrival to departure is executed flawlessly. Chef Eiji Ichimura runs a tight one-man ship. Between slicing and grating and plating, he somehow still finds time to chat with his guests. Soft spoken and easy-mannered, he is one of the nicest sushi chefs we have met. Watching him prepare each course was a real treat, as he handles the knife with clear mastery and cuts each piece to precise perfection. I felt super OCD and I LIKED IT.
Sushi wise, there were a number of standouts. I liked that Chef Ichimura included some unusual selections like abalone, herring roe, and anchovy. His decision to serve several fishes edo-mae style was wise, as it succeeded in adding to the depth of the flavor profile of otherwise mild fishes. Now that the one week mark has passed, I can safely say that these were truly outstanding because I can still remember them:
– Shiroebi white shrimp
– Triple decker otoro
– Hokkaido Uni
In spite of all of this, I feel compelled to withhold one star because while Ichimura impressed us, we did not leave flabbergasted (a highly objective measure of the flabbergasted factor being how many times the Manchild closes his eyes to chew on a piece of fish, which only happened a handful of times). Specific reasons being:
– Lack of live sashimi: I was really, really hoping to have some live octopus or live shrimp. Understandably there may be some logistical limitations here, but at the end of the day this really would have elevated the experience to another level. Nothing tastes as fresh as recently dead.
– Redundancy of certain fishes: I must have had at least four or five types of snapper. While they were good, none of them stood out. In a 20-piece omakase I would expect a decent amount of variation in flavor and texture.
All in all, a delightful three hour culinary escape right in the heart of Tribeca. However, for the most discerning taste buds and the most authentic experience, I still suggest saving up for those Nippon Airways tickets. =]
KenScale: 9.5/10
New York's obsession with sushi is well-known, and it shows from the large number of great sushi restaurants in the city. I've always been impressed with the dedication and craftsmanship of top sushi chefs who have spent decades honing their arts of sushi-making. If someone had previously me, though, what the best sushi place is, I wouldn't have probably come up with a single answer. I loved the fresh quality of fish at Tanoshi, the intimate feel of Kura and the modern technique at Gari. Other places like Nakazawa and Ushiwakamaru certainly deserve to be in the conversation. Until now: I'm ready to call Ichimura, tucked inside David Bouley's Japanese establishment Brushstroke, the best sushi place in NYC. I know it's a bold statement (and the hefty $195 per person price tag certainly doesn't help), but I'm ready to stand by my declaration.
Ichimura is sort of a stand-alone operation from the larger Brushstroke. There is a single counter seating 9 people at most, and chef Eiji Ichimura is running the entire show himself without a single sous chef or assistant. Even before the nigiri pieces started coming, I felt very good about what the entire experience would be like, starting with excellent zensai (traditional Japanese appetizer plates) consisting of toro, uni, herring and other several cold bites. Then came the marvelous sashimi consisting of Bluefin tuna, amberjack, striped jack, abalone and scallop. I don't think I've ever had better sashimi plate in my lifetime, not to mention throughout my culinary journey in NYC. The incredible freshness of each piece was just so sensational, and the addition of fine wasabi that chef Ichimura grinds before the dinner starts only enhanced the texture. The awesome sashimi plate was followed by the chawanmushi with black truffle that was elegantly aromatic. The nigiris that followed were some of the best I've ever had too. Chef Ichimura uses the freshest fish out there, and the rice has the ideal level of firmness to go along with the fish very well. I was very impressed with the texture of pieces like golden snapper, ocean trout and ocean perch. Chef Ichimura's edo-mae style, using techniques developed before refrigeration came into place to preserve the freshness of fish through salt and vinegar, was spot on in the flavor department as well. The two mackerel pieces that I had were some of the best I've remembered having eaten before, and the silky smooth texture of shrimp was absolutely magnificent, as was the elegantly delightful toro (fatty tuna). There was no single piece that was average or bad; how chef Ichimura keeps the high level of nigiri consistently across the board (by my count, he had served 18 pieces) without a single slip is what really makes his sushi bar stand out above the rest in the city. After the delightful dessert consisting of soy sauce gelato and matcha ice cream, I finally woke up from the dreamy state I was in from pure bliss at the counter. Just what an unbelievable meal it was!
Word has come out that Ichimura is one of the best sushi places in the city, and it doesn't help secure reservations when you have a single counter serving only two shifts a night at 6 and 9 p.m. Just call as much as possible in advance and hope for the best. You won't regret the experience at Ichimura despite the price tag. There is a full bar from Brushstroke's drinks menu and you would do well to complement your meal with a glass of wine or sake. The whole experience was further enhanced from the intimate feel to the space, detached from the louder crowd at Brushstroke. I'm so grateful that a sushi-ya like Ichimura exists in this city. If anyone asks me going forward what the single best sushi restaurant in NYC is, this is it. Without a double.
Triple stack ootoro seals the deal. That mouthwatering, fatty, melt-in-your-mouth piece alone explains why they are a 2 Michelin-starred sushi bar. Call ahead for reservations, there are only 8 seats at the bar and a small table for 4 off to the side.
My only complaint is the other 6 guests I was dining with were late so we didn't get to watch the Chef make our appetizer course. They wouldn't seat us until half the guests showed up.
was super excited to try ichimura given the 2 stars from michelin and the rave reviews! location is in tribeca, tucked away to the right side of brushstroke (which i also wanna try at some point)… there are only 9 seats at the bar, and my understanding is that eiji ichimura personally serves omakase every seating – there are 2 per day.
the experience is well worth the price tag – ichimura's finesse with the knife and his strokes with sushi rice are mesmerizing to watch, not to mention that the RICE IS SOO GOOD. edomae style sushi requires the rice to be at the perfect temperature, and that day, each fluffy pillow was perfection. bite after bite of delicious – you're not overly full at the end of the meal, but definitely fully satisfied. we ordered a couple cocktails to go with our meal, but the sake and wine list is extensive.
why not 5 stars? i went with a friend and wanted to catch up over dinner – this is not the perfect place for that because it is veryyyy serene and quiet. almost no one was talking to those they came to dinner with, soooo.. meeps!
The hubs and I came to Ichimura at Brushstroke to celebrate my birthday (Dinner #4) – I was super excited about Ichimura, as this 2 Michelin-starred sushi bar only has 8 exclusive seats! What makes this restaurant even more unique is that it is situated inside another 1 Michelin-starred restaurant, the Brushstroke! Chef Eiji Ichimura serves a traditional edo-mae sushi at the sushi bar, and it is omakase only. We came a bit earlier, as there are no reserved seatings at the bar, but it is at a first-come, first-serve basis. The whole experience was super delightful! Chef Ichimura is super kind and super friendly, and he really focuses on each piece with such attention to detail. It was sooo lovely watching him cut the fresh fish and do a perfect preparation. The chef even had a wonderful sense of humor, and it was just a great relaxing, delicious evening! My favorites were the toro, of course, while the hubs really enjoyed the Spanish mackerel. Desserts were phenomenal, as I had the Matcha & Hojicha Emperor Soy Sauce Gelato & Matcha Ice Cream, while the hubs had the Sake Creme Brulee with Homemade Sweet Sake Soup – both were super delicious! I even got to take a picture with the chef, and it was just a terrific evening 😀 If you are looking for an intimate lovely sushi dinner experience, go to Ichimura – you won't be disappointed! 😀 Just note that there are only 2 seatings, one at 6PM and one at 9PM.
+Chef Eiji Ichimura 😀
+omakase
+8 exclusive seats only!
+Matcha & Hojicha Emperor Soy Sauce Gelato & Matcha Ice Cream dessert
THIS IS THE BEST PLACE TO GET OMAKASE SUSHI. Hands down the best place, ever. I've tried many omakase sushis around the states and this, THIS GEM, was the best.
18 sushis 2 appetizers and 1 sashimi plate. It was worth the price and worth all the hassle trying to reserve for the seats. Chef ichimura was super nice and he catered towards what we can and cannot eat. The plating was beautiful and the fish were sooooo fresh. I was so full afterwards.
You HAVE TO GO. I PROMISE YOU YOULL LOVE IT SO MUCH YOULL COME BACK.
See my photos for reference, noms.
But one thing though, the waiter was not nice at all to us, maybe because we look really young compared to the other customers?
First of all, make sure you are able to differentiate brushstroke and ichimura at brushstroke, which is the sushi bar and has one more Michelin-star than its parent. Ichimura is a completely separate restaurant – Eiji Ichimura was certainly good enough that David Bouley was willing to share a section of his restaurant with him.
Reservation was not easy to secure on the other hand, so make sure to call them one month in advance. (They will occasionally put you on the wait list, do not accept it and call earlier next time, wait list never turns into a real reservation to my past and limited experience).
Now time to start my review. Chef Ichimura had been in charge of the sushi bar in NYC for more than thirty years. The best thing about sushi was that the flavor and feel could perfectly reveal experience of chef. Omakase here started with assorted appetizers, which Chef Ichimura introduced to us one by one and my favorite has been the toro and uni. Then the sashimi part brought itself up. This was actually my first time seeing the chef producing wasabi in front of us, interesting! For sashimi, there's less of a thing about skill (though you could argue that cutting the fish would also be a skill set) and more about the quality, which was exactly what Ichimura tried to present during his Omakase. Toro fish was again, not surprisingly, beating my expectations by far, thanks to the fresh wasabi and sea salt. Next came the egg custard with black truffle and mushroom – had to admit this was the best egg custard I've ever eaten on earth, custard completely absorbed the flavor and was at the same time not overwhelming.
Finally, sushi. Felt like I've been waiting for this point for so long and almost got over prepared. Chef Ichimura indeed prepared each sushi consistently well and only by taking one bite would reveal the true feeling.
I think the best part about Ichimura was the interaction with the chef, through which I have learned a lot about sushi preparation. Really hope that one day I could return and appreciate more! Thank you very much chef Ichimura, thanks for bringing the amazing fish to us.
Looking back. My assessment was correct in that it is now a 2 star restaurant.
However the 2nd time I came wasn't as memorable as the first. Still great. Maybe the seasonal offerings didn't taste as good to me as the prior season? Still I would say it is the best sushi spot in NYC. Although I haven't been to Masa. When I say sushi, I mean nigiri as in fresh raw fish. No California rolls here.
Do yourself a favor, make a reservation and try it out yourself. Unless of course you like California rolls.