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.