What is it?

Sugiyama is a Japanese restaurant located in Midtown Manhattan famous for its kaiseki dinners (explained later). Owner and operator Nao Sugiyama accentuates different flavors of familiar fishes and meats to give you an experience like no other. This is one restaurant where all the details were carefully thought out, from the coat check all the way down to the sparkling restroom.

Decor/Ambiance

Sugiyama is situated on a quiet street and if you aren't looking for it, you might miss it. I'm sure it was the owner's intent to make it as low key as possible. The feeling you get seems to be that of a family place. This feeling is confirmed as soon as you walk in as the wife of the owner greets you and takes your coat.

The restaurant is situated on the first floor of a walk up building and is very small and cozy. There is very limited seating (reservations a definite MUST), but it adds to the feeling that you are important and you will be given attention to. One thing that does catch your eye as you scan around the room is that one of the walls (next to the sushi bar) is made of glass and is filled with pebbles in a very intricate design.

Food

The dinner menu consists of kaiseki dinners. These are 5-9 course meals which are preplanned for you by the chef. Usually, you choose an entrée, be it pork, chicken, tuna or kobe beef and the rest of the courses is just an adventure of tasty dishes. As an example, you will be treated to things ranging from a very soothing mushroom soup to an appetizer of monkfish liver and tofu pate in a citrusy sauce. Most of the entrees are served to you raw and you cook it yourself on a hot stone that the waiters put in front of you. Let me not spoil the fun and wonder of the first time by speaking too much about the different foods. I assure you that you will definitely be treated to a spectacle of food presentation and taste (I know I’ve never had gold foil on my food before). Of course, a special mention to the gelatin dessert which is both sweet and tart.

Service

The service here is just impeccable. As each dish arrives in front of you, the waiter tells you about the dish, the ingredients and even tells you the proper way to eat it. This is surely a culturally eye opening experience. As expected, the service is very fast and friendly.

Final Words

It’s very easy to write a review on something that pleases you. The only problem I have with this restaurant is that it is very expensive (you can easily spend $100 on average per person). The price is well worth the quality of the food and the experience. This is definitely a place you can take business associates, dates and whomever else you want to impress. I look forward to the next time I can experience it again.


Recommended: Yes

Kid Friendliness: No
Vegetarian Friendly: Yes
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations If you aren't happy with an item in the kaiseki dinner, just ask and it will be changed to something more suitable for you.
Best Suited For: Business