Dinner at ITO New York
If you love Japanese food as much as I do and want to treat yourself to a very special and most luxurious meal, go to ITO the next time you're in New York City.
ITO is owned by best friends, Chef Masa Ito and Chef Kevin Kim who met a decade ago while working in California. Their 16-seat sushi omakase restaurant offers two-hour tasting experiences that feature seasonal ingredients, premium fish flown in from Japan, and fine sake and wine pairings. And because the restaurant space is small and intimate, both chefs personally oversee sushi service right at the counter. Earlier this week, I enjoyed a wonderful meal with Ray Mizrahi, president of Black Diamond Gourmet, my publicist John Rice from Susan Magrino Agency, and my longtime makeup artist Daisy Schwartzberg Toye.
Enjoy these photos.
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- ITO New York is located in downtown Manhattan. Chefs Masa Ito and Kevin Kim prepare and serve dinner from this large counter – traditional Japanese favorites with their own unique and modern interpretations. There are two dinner seatings a day. We sat down for the first seating at 6pm.
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- It takes a lot of time to set-up for the two dinner services. Preparations begin each day at noon.
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- Each course is beautifully presented.
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- This is Sake Sashimi – king salmon, ponzu, myoga, topped with micro cilantro.
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- This is Kanpachi Sashimi, also known as yellowtail or amberjack. It has a clean, crisp bite with a delicious buttery flavor. It was served with Maitake truffle and fried kelp.
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- Next on the tasting menu was this Meiji Maguro Sashimi, or bluefin tuna, with garlic soy, sliced pearly onions, wasabi sprouts and crispy nori topped with micro cilantro.
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- This appetizer is called Uni Ikura Hokkaido. It is uni with marinated salmon roe, sea orchin and osetra caviar from Black Diamond Caviar.
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- After the appetizers we all enjoyed a comforting bowl of seasonal miso soup. The base of traditional miso soup is a simple combination of dashi, the stock, and miso, a fermented paste created from soybeans, sea salt, and rice koji.
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- Next was the Red Snapper from Ehime, served with yuzu juice and sea salt.
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- This is Scallop Hokkkaido with dashi soy sauce.
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- Sawara, also known as Spanish mackerel, is known for its whitish color, light meaty flavor, and opaque appearance. Here it is served with ponzu sauce.
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- Masu, or Masu-Zushi, is a type of pressed sushi. It consists of a bed of vinegar rice topped with a thin layer of vinegar trout. It is so very fresh and served with dashi soy sauce.
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- This is called Kohada, or gizzard shad, a silver-skinned fish. It is served with nikiri soy sauce.
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- Plum sake is a traditional Japanese alcoholic drink made from ume plums and sugar. It was delicious.
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- Next we all tried the Akami with nikiri soy sauce. Akami refers to the leaner portion of maguro or tuna with very little to no fat.
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- And this is Shiroebi with rice, dashi soy sauce and nori.
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- Here Chef Masa shows us all a box full of sea urchins, or uni, from Hokkaido, Japan.
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- We were each served a piece of Uni Hokkaido with Nikiri soy sauce.
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- And the last piece was Wagyu Beef Myazaki seared with homemade soy sauce and topped with shaved black truffle. We all loved every course.
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- Ray brought me a lovely cake made by Loser’s Eating House in Soho. It is salted coconut and vanilla bean – two of my favorite flavors.
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- The size is just perfect for our group of four.
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- For dessert, Ito served White Chocolate Miso Custard – so rich and so creamy.
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- We couldn’t finish dinner without a photo! Here is or group – John Rice, myself, Ray Mizrahi, and Daisy Schwartzberg Toye. Behind us is sushi master, Chef and Owner Masashi Ito. Thanks for a most delectable meal. For more information, go to the ITO web site or just click on the highlighted link. ITO also has another location in Las Vegas. Treat yourself to one or both – you’ll love it.
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