THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Sugiyama

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Sugiyama Restaurant Review:

What Nao Sugiyama achieves at his eponymous restaurant cannot simply be called cooking, but edible art. At this small and surprisingly casual spot, diners gather in booths or sit at the counter and gaze into the open kitchen. Sugiyama, who made his name with the SoHo restaurant Katana in the '90s, greets many customers himself, and often with “Nice to see you again.” There is a wide array of prix-fixe dinners, beginning with a $32 three-course meal (only offered before or after primetime dinner hours). You shouldn't come here to pinch pennies, though. There are five-, six- and eight-course options ($58, $65 and $79, respectively), as well as a variety of chef Nao's choice meals (the eight-course modern kaiseki with Wagyu tops out at $198). Japanese cuisine is based on a handful of primary flavors and ingredients --- dashi (a broth of bonito flakes and kelp), citrusy yuzu, miso, soy sauce and vinegar, among others. Sugiyama proves his mettle in the myriad mixings of those basic tastes and their artful presentations. Dinner is an arc of sensual dishes, starting with the raw and light, ending with cooked and more filling. Sugiyama may start you off with a creamy pâté-like concoction of uni and tofu, followed by sashimi cleverly presented atop fishnet-like mesh, then grilled black cod or steak served on a sizzling toban dish. An almost effervescent grapefruit wine jelly leaves you feeling refreshed. The wine and saké list is well-chosen and the servers are helpful with pairing. There are also Japanese beers like Orion and Yebisu.