Koyo

Unlike the island of Manhattan, Queens has seen little action in the realm of serious sushi. Therefore, it's no surprise that this long, slender, and intimate nook in Astoria is a hive of activity, with top-grade nihonshu to boot. Furthermore, the narrow "box" of a space, with sleek ash-blonde surfaces, is pivoted around the poised and intensely focused chef.
Dinner is a single kaiseki driven by the seasons and dominated by the most pristine seafood from all shores. Matsutake soup, made with a roasted madai bones stock and squeeze of sudachi, makes a soulful beginning. Sanma marinated with koji miso and cooked in a magnolia leaf over binchotan coals is as sublime as it sounds; while finely scored squid set atop warm, seasoned rice is a fitting highlight.