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19 East 49th Street
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Sushiden 1 Japanese Sushi Midtown East
Sushiden 2 Japanese Sushi Midtown East

More Japanese nearby

Lost Gem
Hatsuhana Sushi Restaurant 1 Sushi Japanese undefined

Hatsuhana Sushi Restaurant

“We have always felt that sushi should be a lighthearted kind of food, ” said Keito Sato, whose father, Katsuhide, started Hatsuhana as a way to share this belief. Japanese dining is known for its upscale omakase experiences, in which patrons are served whatever the chef pleases. “What we push at our restaurant is basically the opposite: okonomi, meaning ‘what you like. ’” This unique approach has made Hatsuhana stand out since its inception. Katsuhide emigrated to the U. S. from Japan in the late 1960s, drawn to the American lifestyle and seeking a change of pace. He spent years as a chef in upstate New York before happily joining a Japanese restaurant in midtown. At the age of twenty-five, he was diagnosed with end-stage kidney disease and was told he would need dialysis three times a week. The news put an end to his career as a sushi chef, which required him to work long hours with only one day off, and he was forced to find a new path. “Sushi is what my father knew best in the world. If he couldn’t be a chef, then he realized he had to open his own sushi restaurant. ” Thus, Katsuhide created Hatsuhana and “set the standard for the sushi industry, offering the most authentic sushi possible to New Yorkers. ”Not only did other Japanese eateries take their cue from Hatsuhana’s menu, but Katsuhide was also insistent about procuring the highest-quality ingredients possible. Upon finding that pink-dyed sushi ginger was common in U. S. restaurants, he traveled to California and struck a deal with a vendor for more natural sliced ginger that was free of food coloring. To this day, all fish and food is sourced from “wherever the best place is for the specific item” – be it flying in sushi-grade yellowtail and sea urchin from Japan or salmon from Norway. Today, Katsuhide is retired and resides in Hawaii, while Keito continues to run the show. Though Keito was rigorously trained in sushi making and endeavored to master the art, he devoted much of his attention to working on the business rather than in the kitchen. Most importantly, he continues to promote his father’s overarching philosophy on Japanese cuisine. Instead of viewing sushi as an extravagant indulgence, Harsuhana strives to present the food in a more accessible light. “People should understand the essence of sushi. At the end of the day, it is a snack. ”

More places on 49th Street

Lost Gem
Oceana 1 American Seafood Breakfast undefined

Oceana

Opened in 1992 and originally located on the Upper East Side, Oceana moved to 49th Street in 2009. The Livanos family sowed the seeds for the glorious Oceana long ago when they ran a diner and realized their ambitions to develop it into something more. Having worked hard to make their dreams a reality, Oceana continues to pride itself on the freshness of its food and makes a point to have direct relationships with the fish mongers and farmers. Although some have called Oceana the Mecca of seafood, the restaurant's menu is notably diverse. The executive chef, Ben Pollinger, takes to the broad reaches of American cuisine and mixes elements of different dishes together, often in an unexpected way. The Manhattan Sideways team eagerly sampled a few of the marvelous dishes, including the Copper River Sockeye Salmon Crudo, featuring pickled ramps, parsley oil, and Amagansett sea salt, and the Sea Scallops Ceviche that is topped with peaches, ginger, and cinnamon basil. I was pleasantly surprised by the incredible vegetarian dish that the chef also prepared - Summer Squash & Cranberry Bean Salad, consisting of zucchini, gold bar and pattypan squash, pignoli, purslane and drizzled in lemon vinaigrette. Absolutely delicious. The last member of the Oceana team that we were introduced to was their wine director, Pedro Goncalves. Pedro, who began working at Oceana in 2001, makes a concerted effort to develop drink pairings to accompany the delectable food menu. Standing near the white marble bar, he proudly told us that Oceana has 1100 wine listings and 600 spirits. He went on to report that with forty-seven different gins, Oceana has one of the largest selections of in the city. "There is something to fit every personality, " Pedro said.

More Sushi nearby

Lost Gem
Hatsuhana Sushi Restaurant 1 Sushi Japanese undefined

Hatsuhana Sushi Restaurant

“We have always felt that sushi should be a lighthearted kind of food, ” said Keito Sato, whose father, Katsuhide, started Hatsuhana as a way to share this belief. Japanese dining is known for its upscale omakase experiences, in which patrons are served whatever the chef pleases. “What we push at our restaurant is basically the opposite: okonomi, meaning ‘what you like. ’” This unique approach has made Hatsuhana stand out since its inception. Katsuhide emigrated to the U. S. from Japan in the late 1960s, drawn to the American lifestyle and seeking a change of pace. He spent years as a chef in upstate New York before happily joining a Japanese restaurant in midtown. At the age of twenty-five, he was diagnosed with end-stage kidney disease and was told he would need dialysis three times a week. The news put an end to his career as a sushi chef, which required him to work long hours with only one day off, and he was forced to find a new path. “Sushi is what my father knew best in the world. If he couldn’t be a chef, then he realized he had to open his own sushi restaurant. ” Thus, Katsuhide created Hatsuhana and “set the standard for the sushi industry, offering the most authentic sushi possible to New Yorkers. ”Not only did other Japanese eateries take their cue from Hatsuhana’s menu, but Katsuhide was also insistent about procuring the highest-quality ingredients possible. Upon finding that pink-dyed sushi ginger was common in U. S. restaurants, he traveled to California and struck a deal with a vendor for more natural sliced ginger that was free of food coloring. To this day, all fish and food is sourced from “wherever the best place is for the specific item” – be it flying in sushi-grade yellowtail and sea urchin from Japan or salmon from Norway. Today, Katsuhide is retired and resides in Hawaii, while Keito continues to run the show. Though Keito was rigorously trained in sushi making and endeavored to master the art, he devoted much of his attention to working on the business rather than in the kitchen. Most importantly, he continues to promote his father’s overarching philosophy on Japanese cuisine. Instead of viewing sushi as an extravagant indulgence, Harsuhana strives to present the food in a more accessible light. “People should understand the essence of sushi. At the end of the day, it is a snack. ”