Gari Columbus

Gari Columbus Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant: The simple, modern restaurant on Columbus Avenue is pleasant yet unremarkable; there are small blonde wood tables and a sleek sushi bar where the sushi artists work their magic.

Likes: Creative flavor combinations; fresh fish, artful sushi and sashimi.
Dislikes: Tables can feel cramped; expensive.

Food & Drinks: The master behind the restaurant is sushi chef Gari, who has been crafting sushi since the age of 19 in Tokyo. In 1997, he opened his first New York City restaurant on the Upper East Side, and eight years later, across town, he opened Gari. Impeccably cooked rice is seasoned with just the right amount of vinegar, and fish is bright and flavorful with freshness. Start with black seaweed salad or crunchy pumpkin tempura. Omakase is the way to go, even though your wallet will certainly notice. Gari is famous for imaginative, quirky takes on sushi and sashimi, like taro with sweet tofu sauce, soft anago with creamy avocado and yellowtail topped with fried lotus and peppery arugula. Sushi traditionalists may scoff at a roasted tomato atop silky raw salmon, but the combination works beautifully. Pair the food with saké and craft beers.