Continuing my hankering for omakase recently, found a reference to Wa Shin online and immediately made a reservation. I missed news of this place opening, and was quite excited to try them. The chef apprenticed under Daisuke Nakazawa (one of Jiri Ono’s apprentices) in NYC and it is reflected in his more classic sushi presentation style.
At the moment, this is an 18 course mostly all sushi tasting. The only real non sushi course is the dessert at the end (and the do serve an egg dish). The sushi is fantastic, and prepared with the care you would expect of someone who’s studied under Jiro Ono’s style of sushi. If you just want really high quality, Edo style sushi this is a great option. As they are still relatively new (opened in February), he’s offering his Omakase at a discount, per the website. If your interested in giving omakase a try, I’d highly recommend taking advantage of this discount. I’ll spare you all the sushi pics this time. I for one am pleased with all these new, and GOOD omakase options popping up.
Now the inevitable comparison with others. 311 was really the most recent one that is fair to compare. It’s been years since O Ya, and I haven’t hit others yet.
Surprisingly, there was nothing to introduce you to what you would eat - no printed menu. I did find it fun to be surprised at what was coming next, but missed getting some of the info on other components the chef put on top of the fish. He always explained the fish and where it came from. Sometimes he would also elaborate on the topping too. The space at the counter is actually great for watching the chef(s) work. You are much closer to them, and Chef Sky is cheerful and really tries to engage the guests. It’s a little more chill at Wa Shin, completely with peppier, instrumental music playing. Everything at 311 is meticulously planned, presented, and the tone of the evening is serene. Chef Wei is friendly but not very talkative (I think part of this is the language barrier). Chef Sky at Wa Shin will crack some dad jokes at you.
Both are worthy, and I would gladly revisit both locations. I think 311 pushes the creative, artistic end of food prep a bit more, but also at a higher price point. As I make my way around to other omakase options, I’ll try to report back again.
