Fuji Sushi

“When there’s a thunderstorm, it’s really cool, ” Dylan, Hi-Bar’s bartender told us as we sat atop the 6 Columbus hotel. We could see what he meant: the cozy rooftop bar, with its view of Columbus Circle and its warm décor would feel like a small, safe eye of a storm when the retractable screens were shut during bad weather. The bar, which is part of the Bromberg Brothers' array of New York restaurants and is supplied by Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill downstairs, is a popular spot for locals. Dylan said that he gets a lot of regulars, especially from the Time Warner building across the street. He enjoys getting to see customers meet, return, become friends…and sometimes more. “There are a lot of affairs, ” he said with a cheeky grin. With its view of the city and its intimate yet festive atmosphere, I could imagine having a wonderful party up on the thirteenth floor. With the lanterns glowing, strings of light glittering overhead, and moonlight bouncing off the distressed wood tabletops, what could be wrong with this vision? Before having even tried the food, I knew that Hi-Bar was a hidden gem. Chefs from downstairs brought up a sushi platter and a grilled lamb chop. I always get a kick out of listening to both Olivia and Tom describe the foods that they are sampling. On this particular day, they were amazed by the five different textures represented on the plate of sushi, including a young sea eel and a Tazmanian Fluke, which had a surface like scales. The Blue Ribbon specialty roll, with little dollops of caviar on top, contained lobster and shiso, an Asian herb that tastes vaguely like a cross between basil and mint. In a dish off to the side, scallop sashimi was cut in thin slivers, with the salty lips of the scallop in a cute cucumber cup. Switching gears, they then devoured the lamb chop, sitting on a bed of sweet potato squash, and cooked to perfection. While they tasted the dishes, and pronounced the platter “some of the most flavorful sushi, ” they had experienced, Dylan whipped up a few of the specialty cocktails. He mixed together a Lychee martini, made with the Japanese liquor shochu instead of vodka or gin, and a Yuzu Margarita, which was mellowed by a touch of honey. Once again, Olivia and Tom were smiling. The Grapefruit Hi, also made with shochu, was so refreshing it seemed wetter that water, and the Hummingbird, made with St. Germaine, was topped with a Yama Moto, a type of Japanese mountain peach. As we were getting ready to leave the Hi-Bar’s happy nook, Dylan informed us that he had grown up on Blue Ribbon. “I’ve been coming to their restaurants since I was five years old. They have been the same for years – so many restaurants change, but I can rely on Blue Ribbon. ” Dylan went on to say that he continues to eat at their now nineteen eateries - which he stated is a "small company" - whenever he has the opportunity.

Guy Vaknin and his wife Tali opened Beyond Sushi in July of 2012 with the goal of producing healthy, beautiful and earth-conscious food. After learning of the depletion of fish in our oceans – not to mention the health benefits of a meatless diet – Guy set out to be the “first to pioneer the fish-less sushi movement. ” He views “sushi as a vessel that carries the perfect amount of flavor to just grab it in one bite. ” He also praises sushi for its consistency, which gives him room to play around in creating interesting and perfect balances of vegetable's flavors and colors. When describing his extensive background in the restaurant industry, Guy told us, “I had a dream to cook since I was young. I’ve always loved food. ” He grew up on a Kibbutz in Israel - and came to New York after serving in the Israeli army - to help out in his father’s restaurant. He went on to work at numerous other restaurants in New York doing every possible position, and after a brief dalliance with computer engineering, returned to the food world by studying at the Institute of Culinary Education. Fresh out of culinary school, Guy became the executive chef at his father’s kosher catering company. When a request for a sushi station popped up, and knowing that meat and fish are restricted in some areas of the Jewish world, he decided he wanted to create something “cool and innovative - and not fish. ” It took two years to develop his vegetarian sushi, but after selling out at the Vegetarian Food Festival two years in a row, Guy decided to open a business on 14th street. Within three months - working solely with the help of his sushi chef - the growing popularity of his beautiful, healthy, and delicious food quickly enabled him to expand into the thriving company that Beyond Sushi is today. One of Guy’s main goals is to balance sustainability and accessibility to encourage people to choose the healthy option of Beyond Sushi, and the passion that sustains this goal is his creativity. Even now that he has grown Beyond Sushi into a consistently expanding company, Guy still spends around fifty percent of his time cooking, and loves adding new dishes to his menu. He thinks of his business expansion in terms of community impact and wants to be “as big as possible. "

Everything at Norma Kamali's eponymous store feels distinctive, from the layout to the designs of the clothes. In the years since the designer opened her first shop on 53rd street in 1968, she has carved out a style all her own. Her flagship store's aesthetic is striking - white walls, floor-to-ceiling mirrors, and fluorescent lighting that feels intentional and welcoming. Racks are placed at different locations throughout the store, showcasing Norma's three core collections - Activewear, Swimwear, and Kamali Kulture. The first includes Norma's iconic sweatsuits, which revolutionized women's activewear when the line appeared in 1984. The Swimwear collection prominently features the Bill Mio bathing suit, a rucked, old Hollywood-esque one-piece. Finally, the Kamali Kulture line was created so that a wider variety of women could enjoy Norma's signature designs; every item in the line is under one hundred dollars. The store also features sunglasses, including Norma's signature cat-eye shades. While being given a personal tour by Marissa, a representative of the Norma Kamali Brand, we learned that Norma's flagship location houses the Wellness Cafe, where women are invited to take a break from their shopping, sit down, and help themselves to some green tea and popcorn - sprinkled with Norma's own line of olive oil. On display is a "curation of products Norma loves, " including health snacks, supplements and weights. Marissa went on to explain that Norma frequently hosts events at the cafe featuring members of the medical community as well as tarot readers. "We invite people with a range of backgrounds and expertise, " said Marissa. Norma has achieved significant recognition in the fashion world and beyond, but many people who come into the store are merely drawn in by the display window. Customers stop by "whether they know that it's Norma Kamali or they're just curious, " Marissa told us. Though Norma's collections are featured in most major department stores, including her Fifth Avenue neighbors, this location on West 56th is the only one devoted exclusively to her. Because of their "small but mighty" status, Norma is able to keep a hand in everything that goes on at her boutique and wellness cafe: she styles the display window and chooses what clothing is showcased. Her virtual presence is strong as well: she narrates her own website, providing the stories behind various pieces of clothing. Towards the end of our time spent here, an exhilarating moment occurred when we had the pleasure of catching a glimpse of the grand lady, herself.

“When there’s a thunderstorm, it’s really cool, ” Dylan, Hi-Bar’s bartender told us as we sat atop the 6 Columbus hotel. We could see what he meant: the cozy rooftop bar, with its view of Columbus Circle and its warm décor would feel like a small, safe eye of a storm when the retractable screens were shut during bad weather. The bar, which is part of the Bromberg Brothers' array of New York restaurants and is supplied by Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar & Grill downstairs, is a popular spot for locals. Dylan said that he gets a lot of regulars, especially from the Time Warner building across the street. He enjoys getting to see customers meet, return, become friends…and sometimes more. “There are a lot of affairs, ” he said with a cheeky grin. With its view of the city and its intimate yet festive atmosphere, I could imagine having a wonderful party up on the thirteenth floor. With the lanterns glowing, strings of light glittering overhead, and moonlight bouncing off the distressed wood tabletops, what could be wrong with this vision? Before having even tried the food, I knew that Hi-Bar was a hidden gem. Chefs from downstairs brought up a sushi platter and a grilled lamb chop. I always get a kick out of listening to both Olivia and Tom describe the foods that they are sampling. On this particular day, they were amazed by the five different textures represented on the plate of sushi, including a young sea eel and a Tazmanian Fluke, which had a surface like scales. The Blue Ribbon specialty roll, with little dollops of caviar on top, contained lobster and shiso, an Asian herb that tastes vaguely like a cross between basil and mint. In a dish off to the side, scallop sashimi was cut in thin slivers, with the salty lips of the scallop in a cute cucumber cup. Switching gears, they then devoured the lamb chop, sitting on a bed of sweet potato squash, and cooked to perfection. While they tasted the dishes, and pronounced the platter “some of the most flavorful sushi, ” they had experienced, Dylan whipped up a few of the specialty cocktails. He mixed together a Lychee martini, made with the Japanese liquor shochu instead of vodka or gin, and a Yuzu Margarita, which was mellowed by a touch of honey. Once again, Olivia and Tom were smiling. The Grapefruit Hi, also made with shochu, was so refreshing it seemed wetter that water, and the Hummingbird, made with St. Germaine, was topped with a Yama Moto, a type of Japanese mountain peach. As we were getting ready to leave the Hi-Bar’s happy nook, Dylan informed us that he had grown up on Blue Ribbon. “I’ve been coming to their restaurants since I was five years old. They have been the same for years – so many restaurants change, but I can rely on Blue Ribbon. ” Dylan went on to say that he continues to eat at their now nineteen eateries - which he stated is a "small company" - whenever he has the opportunity.