Article by Linda Nguyen
Photo by Niko
Wasan meaning “Three Japanese people” is a Japanese Restaurant located at 108 E. 4th Street, New York, NY 10003 (bet. 1st & 2nd Ave.) Wasan serves food and drinks that include sushi, ramen, sake, wine, signature dishes and their own signature Wasan sake which complements well with their dishes. Wasan’s motto is: “Ingredients are at the heart of cooking. Even the same ingredient can have infinite varieties, depending on where, which season, or under what weather condition they were produced.”
Sommelier Toshiyuki Koizumi, Chef Ryota Kitagawa and Chef Kakusaburo Sakurai
The restaurant owners are Chefs Ryota Kitagawa and Kakusaburo Sakurai (Of Inagiku at Waldorf-Astoria Hotel) and Sommelier Toshiyuki Koizumi. The three owners came together with the idea of creating a hospitable restaurant that serves food that makes customers happy and paired with sake/wine that best complements your meal.
Wasan creates dishes that are a new style towards Japanese cuisine and the restaurant aims towards “New sensibility in traditional cooking.” The menu takes on an “avant-garde” approach. It is quite refreshing that their seasonal menu dishes use locally grown produce and fish. Before the restaurant’s current location, Wasan was successful in selling food at NYC Street Fairs. The street fair favorite was the Salmon Chirai and is also my favorite dish. Wasan’s signature dishes are the Uni Lover and Foie Gras Sushi. Offered at the restaurant are over forty kinds of sake. In addition to having a meal at Wasan, there is a cooking class offered once a month at the venue.
Uni Lover (Uni, Avocado, Homemade uni chips & Garlic peanut oil)
Foie Gras Sushi (Foie Gras, Endive & Strawberry balsamic vinegar sauce)
Lobster White Sauce (Lobster, Crunchy noodles, Snow Pea & White Sauce)
Salmon Chirashi (Salmon sashimi, Apple chip-smoked salmon skin & Assorted simmered root vegetables)
The signature Wasan sake is only offered and sold at the Wasan Restaurant and they even prepare Roasted Black Bean Tea. Made in Japan, the house-created sake has a traditional mellow taste and distinctive flavor that has a soft feeling on the tongue. The layers of flavor pairs well with the dishes served. A bottle is sold for $54.
Two Chefs and a Sommelier have created quite an interesting restaurant that is Wasan. The restaurant was featured in The New York Times only after six month of opening and has also been featured in Time Out New York and Delaware State News. To dine at Wasan is a wonderful experience. Its atmosphere takes you to a different world where innovatively fused food meets with well-paired drinks.
For more: www.wasan-ny.com
This looks amazing! I have to check it out one day!