En Japanese Brasserie EN Japanese Brasserie

EN Japanese Brasserie Awards

Traditional Japanese dishes served up in a chic New York scene.
Openings: Lunch Mon.-Fri., Dinner nightly, Brunch Sat.-Sun.

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EN Japanese Brasserie, New York, NY


EN Japanese Brasserie Restaurant Review:


Walk into EN Japanese Brasserie on the sleepy corner of Leroy and Hudson and transform to a netherworld. At 5,000 square feet (there's a reflecting pool here, too), smart designer Ichiro Sato fuses wood, concrete and refinement much like the uptown utopian "department store" Takashimaya. Somehow the mile-high ceilings and spaciousness imbue an intimacy, warmth and peacefulness --- conversation is not sucked up into the sky. Staff reflects this warmth and hospitality, led by owner Reika Yo. It's Yo's hope to “educate” New Yorkers on Japanese delicacies less familiar. So if you are looking for a standard sushi roll experience, we advise you go elsewhere. EN centers its cooking on the most fundamental building block of Japanese cooking, dashi, or freshly made bonito stock; it adds profound taste profiles. A visit to EN must include the handmade yuba (tofu skin), made in hourly batches. It's fundamental to the menu, an art form really, and comes in several dishes, including sashimi and salads. We especially like the cold version. Ladle it from square wooden bowls and add a little wari-joyu, soy and dashi sauce, an earthy way to begin. Sashimi arrives on ice, artfully presented. Sea bass netsuke is a must. Ebi Shinjo are shrimp fitters, deep fried and salted, perhaps a bit heavy. Opt for a better choice, the miso black cod. The last item is also available on the kaiseki menu if you choose that adventure. Dine with a group and the gyu-suki, beef cooked tableside in a slightly sweet soy broth flavored with scallions, impresses all. Saké recommended by the sommelier should do the same. The pace of service can be quick, so gently remind your server (who knows the menu backwards and forwards) to slow the flow of dishes. You'll want to sit awhile and finish with the house ice creams (try the sesame flavor) and soak in this Tokyo-like experience.