Sushi Azabu is located in TriBeCa, tucked away underneath the basement of Greenwich Grill. So, when you first come looking for this gem, don't expect to find a sign for Sushi Azabu - just go into Greenwich Grill and you'll be directed to the stairs where Sushi Azabu is hidden.
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| Entrance to the basement |
Sushi Azabu is actually quite small so making a reservation by phone is recommended. Also note that right now, due to the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, they are only taking parties of 4 or less and there's limited seating on the booth tables. The counter seating has been reopened, so go ahead and book a reservation to try their Chef's Omakase or other delicious sushi today!
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| Behind the Sushi Counter |
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| The calm and serene underground seating - with no more than 4 tables available at a time |
Unlike a lot of other sushi restaurants, I really liked how easy going Sushi Azabu felt. Since they only serve a certain amount of people per night, it will never feel overcrowded or hectic. It was a great place for me and my party of 4 to enjoy a night of good food and conversation.
Taken from their website directly:
"All of the sushi chefs are Japanese and trained in Japan, and 70-80% of the fish is imported directly from Japan, four times a week. We only use a unique blend of sushi rice imported directly from Japan, using the previous years KOMAI harvest to avoid the overly-high water content associated with fresh harvests of rice. The soy sauce is a house-made, sweetened and reduced NIKIRI soy sauce that we infuse overnight with mirin, kelp, and dried bonito shavings." - Sushi Azabu
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| House-made soy sauce and our Nigori Sake, my favorite |
So to kick off dinner, we actually decided to not do the Chef's Omakase, but instead we ordered some Japanese small dishes, all were so delicious.
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| HIJIKI NO UMANI - Hijiki Seaweed Simmered with Soy Sauce and Sugar |
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| GIN-DARA SAIKYO-YAKI - Grilled Black Cod Marinated in a Special Sweet Miso Sauce - RECOMMENDED** |
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| WHITE FISH CARPACCIO - served sashimi style with tobiko and endives served over fresh green |
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| Grilled Hamachi Collar |
In addition to the wonderful small plates, we ordered some sushi a la carte, only to sample some of the dishes that we wouldn't come with another course we ordered later...
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| A LA CARTE SUSHI - salmon roe, unagi, o-toro, blue fin tuna, local uni |
Finally, we had the Koi Course, easily the most affordable, bang for your buck, thing you can order here. which consisted of 10 pieces of nigiri - eat prepared with a dab of wasabi and a light coat of soy sauce brushed on top of it. As I was enjoying each bite, I was having a slight Jiro Dreams of Sushi moment. Side note: If you haven't watched the movie, I suggest you do! It definitely gives you more appreciation of the work that goes into a perfect piece of nigiri.
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| KOI COURSE - 10 Nigiri - grilled salmon, amberjack, snapper, fluke, king salmon, salmon |
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| KOI COURSE PART II - 2 tuna akami, scallop, shrimp |
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| We actually ordered 2 KOI COURSES! NOM - RECOMMENDED** |
As we were grubbing on the nigiri, we were also given their delicious miso soup which was served with a shrimp head. This was unlike any other soup I've ever tasted as the shrimp added some sweetness to the broth, and you bet I slurped up the shrimp head afterwards!
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| The BEST Miso soup ever - comes with the Koi Course :) |
After our delicious sushi, we ordered their Matcha Meringue dessert - Green Tea mousse with Bananas and Strawberries. It was so light and fluffy and delicious to eat.
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| Matcha Meringue Dessert, SOOO goooood |
Overall, I really enjoyed the dinner we had here. It's a clear winner as a 1 Michelin Star Japanese Restaurant - not only is it affordable but the ambiance and food is enough to coax you into a relaxation and happiness.
Summary
Good For...
Low-key relaxed sushi
Must Order Again
Koi Course
Grilled Black Miso Cod
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Sushi Azabu | Yelp
428 Greenwich St
(between Laight St & Vestry St)
New York, NY 10013
(212) 274-0428
