Kintsugi Omakase

"Visited here to take advantage of a Restaurant Week promotion. It was as delicious as the sushi I eat in Japan. However, even though I arrived on time, I had to wait for 30 minutes."

"I've noticed that there have been a lot of budget-friendly omakase spots popping up in New York recently, all priced under $100. Dining at these places not only allows you to appreciate the chef's culinary skills but also witness how both the chef and manager work within a limited budget to provide the best dining experience for customers. This spot is one of the most impressive $100 omakase experiences I've had lately. When an omakase spot is positioned at $300-500 per person, the chef has enough budget to choose the highest quality fish and rare ingredients on the market. As long as the cooking skills are good, they can deliver a fantastic omakase experience. However, for omakase under $100, the chef needs to decide whether to allocate the budget to a few very rare ingredients or evenly improve the quality of each dish. Additionally, for courses where the ingredients are not particularly outstanding, they need to think about how to use seasoning to enhance the taste experience. I feel this place does an excellent job of using a limited budget to help customers get the best dining experience possible. Firstly, the chef is creative in using seasoning to enhance the overall taste experience of the food. Unlike some sushi places that mindlessly pile on ingredients, every seasoning in this place is thoughtful, providing a rare Japanese culinary taste experience. Secondly, the chef seems to have a passion for uni, as evident from the uni box displayed on the wall. Their signature uni roll is incredibly delicious and lives up to its name. Furthermore, the entire operation from the kitchen to the service is highly efficient, with a good rhythm between each dish. If there are areas for improvement, I feel the chef could engage in more communication with customers, such as asking about their impressions of the dishes. Besides introducing the fish species for each dish, mentioning the specific seasonings used would leave a more lasting impression on customers. Additionally, the restaurant has only one server/manager, who is very quick but, due to handling 10 customers alone, may sometimes feel a bit rushed in tasks like pouring water, changing utensils, and settling the bill. I hope they can continue to grow, attract more customers willing to try their $200+ omakase, allowing the talented chef to explore the culinary world further. Meanwhile, the restaurant can expand and have more staff to provide an affordable yet perfect dining experience for customers."

"Really delicious, especially for the black cod. It reminds me of my childhood memory of a Japanese restaurant near my home. If they can offer a dish of a larger size of black cod don in the future, it would be very nice. The amount in the restaurant week menu was not enough for me. HOWEVER, I hope they can adjust the room of the seating. The seat for the customers on the left was too close to the cash register, and the cashier who was also the server always bumped into me."

"Friends were visiting from out of town and wanted to go for a really nice sushi meal and I rolled the dice on Kintsugi and everyone was blown away. The 10 seat restaurant is intimate without feeling crowded. Lighting and decor set a premium mood but without being too dark or bright. Chef Victor was focused on his craft but explained each dish to us and gave interesting tidbits on the sourcing of the fish and other ingredients which, let's get this out of the way, were delicious. We did the 13 course omakase and it felt like every new dish was somehow tastier than the last. The creations are not overly flashy but use the best ingredients simply and effectively. Little details like the pickled ginger and magic finger towels were a great touch and the platings were excellent. Our server for the evening, I think his name was Barnaby, was very attentive and added more color to the dishes and ingredients while Chef was at work. He also was spot-on for my friends and I at recommending different types of sake that would adhere to our unique flavor preferences but still paired well with the tasting. We each left full but not feeling grossly so. The 13 course took roughly two hours from start to finish but we thought it was well-paced and never felt like it was rushed or lagging between courses. One of the best meals I've had in New York, will definitely be back!"