Photo courtesy of Hinoki
Led by the food professionals behind MIKU Sushi and KUMO Sushi Lounge, Hinoki leans into the izakaya model near Westchester.
Restaurateurs K Dong and Chef Steven Chen of MIKU Sushi in Greenwich and KUMO Sushi Lounge in Scarsdale want you to know about izakaya, or an informal Japanese bar that serves small plates. It’s the basis of their newest venture, 70-seat Hinoki (named for the Japanese cypress tree) in the space that once housed Kokaro.
The menu is primarily sharable appetizers, such as soup dumplings, toro caviar tartare, uni foie gras toast, rock shrimp tempura, and endearing bite-sized nori tacos, plus rolls and à la carte sushi. Weekly specials come from the famed Tsukiji fish market in Japan. There are some plated dishes including ginger scallion lobster, miso black cod, and a truffle rice hotpot with crab meat.
Behind the long, oak-wood bar are top-shelf craft cocktails (try the pecan-wood-smoked negroni or the Old Fashioned, made with Hudson Baby Bourbon), exclusive sake, and whiskey.
If you’re in the mood for a more formal dining-out experience, Hinoki has things covered: At the back of the restaurant, by private reservation only, is the omakase room.
363 Greenwich Ave, Greenwich; 203.900.0011
