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Opening Hours
Today: 12–9:30pm
Fri:
12–10pm
Sat:
12–10pm
Sun:
12–9:30pm
Mon:
12–9:30pm
Tues:
12–9:30pm
Wed:
12–9:30pm
Location
103 West 70th Street
Amber 1 Chinese Japanese Sushi Lincoln Square Midtown West Upper West Side

Amber Upper West relocated from Columbus Avenue to this dimly lit, intimate side street enclave in 2015. A wood-beamed ceiling and whitewashed walls are organically accented with well-illuminated hanging plants and a graphic, black and white tree painting. With a menu featuring a large selection of rolls, grilled dishes and sushi to be shared in either the conventional dining space or well-stocked bar, this side street gem offers more than just lovely decor.

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Amber 1 Chinese Japanese Sushi Lincoln Square Midtown West Upper West Side
Amber 2 Chinese Japanese Sushi Lincoln Square Midtown West Upper West Side
Amber 3 Chinese Japanese Sushi Lincoln Square Midtown West Upper West Side
Amber 4 Chinese Japanese Sushi Lincoln Square Midtown West Upper West Side

More places on 70th Street

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Cafe Luxembourg

With woven wicker chairs, plush red booths, tiled walls, a bar backed by an antique mirror, and many years as a topnotch restaurant, Cafe Luxembourg resounds with familiarity. And, as portrayed in the signature postcard of three naked ladies photographed by Cheryl Koralik in 1988, playfulness and boldness are always present. Customers loosen their ties, let their hair down and engage in easy conversation — "fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere. "Lynn Wagenknecht and her then husband, Keath McNally, opened the place in 1983 as a French neighborhood bistro. Now the sole proprietor, Lynn has maintained a rare level of comfort within the realm of fine dining, fully investing herself in Cafe Luxembourg as well as its sister restaurants, Cafe Cluny and The Odeon. Constantly finding inspiration from her trips to France, Lynn's warm attentiveness permeates the restaurant. "Lynn nurtures from within, " said General Manager Morgan Nevans, who has been with the company since 2008. Staff members are invited and encouraged to dine in the restaurant. "We have a lot of aspiring professors, artists, actors and doctors, " explained Morgan. A performance artist, Manager Krystel Lucas started at Cafe Luxembourg because of its proximity to her school, finding it easy to work around her wavering show schedule. "I was proud to stand at the door, " Krystel informed me, having worked her way up from hostess, server, and bartender. Customers also have an inclination to return with many coming since the restaurants' opening — regulars or not, "everyone is treated as a VIP. " The food may also have a little something to do with their loyalty. A graduate of New England Culinary Institute, Executive Chef Michael Navarette acknowledges, "food is a gateway to culture. " Everyone eats, and dishes have their own history, prepared in a variety of ways throughout all regions. His breakfast specialty, an omelet with mixed greens, exudes comforting familiarity, while his Faroe Island salmon over a salad of lentils, potatoes, onion and a curry aioli, is a more innovative concoction that breeds its own memories. "A chef is a journeyman position, " Michael smiled, "The training never ends. I learn as I go. " It seems the staff and restaurant both have a knack for refining while retaining their roots. A bistro that only gets better with age, this side street gem will always be something to look forward to.

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Lost Gem
Sushi Kaito 1 Sushi undefined

Sushi Kaito

Yoko Hasegawa, the owner of this Upper West Side sushi bar, went to a temple in Japan to discover the best name for her new restaurant in Manhattan. She came back with Kaito, which means "Sea Breeze. "When I visited the twelve-seat restaurant shortly after it opened in the summer of 2017, Jorge Dionicio, one of the talented members of the team at Sushi Kaito, told me that he began making sushi in Peru. He explained to me that there is a large Japanese population in his country. "Everything started there for me a long time ago, " he said. He went to school for electrical engineering and worked at a sushi bar while attending university. "The more I know, I know nothing, " he admitted. After spending several years in New York, working at different restaurants, he realized that he needed to spend time in Japan to learn the "real" technique. In 2009, he spent one year there "to be trained, " but he continues to go back to learn more and more as often as possible. Part of the schooling, he admitted with a chuckle, is to eat in as many sushi bars as possible. Although he has been making sushi for fifteen years, Jorge has no desire to work in any other type of cuisine. Jorge chose to come to Kaito because he appreciated the philosophy of engaging with the customers and developing personal relationships with people. When I inquired whether or not the restaurant already had returning diners, Jorge enthusiastically replied, "Oh yeah - over and over. "Jorge was proud to tell me that on the evening after the first little, local write up on the restaurant was published, sixty-two people stood outside, hoping to get in. Unfortunately, there were not enough seats, and the employees had to turn dozens of people away. In a small, intimate setting that is decorated simply, so as not to take away from what is going on behind the counter, guests can pull up a chair, engage in conversation with the staff who are preparing the sushi, and savor the fresh fish that arrives on a daily basis straight from Japan. When I asked Jorge what makes the place special, he quickly responded, "Everything we do, we do with our heart, " all from scratch. "We pick our own ginger, make our own soy sauce and put an emphasis on purity. " He added that the restaurant aims for perfection. "Maybe we never get it but we are always looking for it. " He said that the employees enjoy making the people smile and giving them a memorable meal. "It's not just about food, it is a life experience. " Jorge believes that Sushi Kaito is different from other sushi bars - "We enjoy speaking with guests, answering their questions. " While the atmosphere does not feel overly serious, he emphasized, "We are, though, very serious about our product. " He continued, "Here, we are very different. We take care of everything. " The other men preparing the food side by side with Jorge all nodded in agreement. "Although it is a lot of work, it never feels like work, " one of them explained. Jorge told us, "I leave at midnight, go home, take a shower, climb into bed, and wake up eager to do it all over again the next day. I love what I do, so I never mind. "