Often it’s the details that make food delicious, like the perfect hit of sea salt in a three-ingredient roasted chicken. But then, you don’t have to tell Sushi Nanase’s (522 Mamaroneck Ave, White Plains 914-285-5351) Chef/Owner Yoshimichi Takeda about the value of Less is More. Here’s a man who takes pains with the small details.
From exquisite garnishes of Japanese herbs to a battery of a dozen sea salts, an omakase meal at Nanase is like an edible Vermeer painting. Not showy, with ice-cream cone sushi rolls packed with Frialator skimmings, but luminous and powerful and glowing with finesse. For instance, tucked into a platter’s corner, Takeda dabs creamy, hand-grated wasabi that tastes poignantly of horseradish.
Uniting Sushi Nanase’s omakase is a quiet little detail. Takeda blends his many-hued soy sauce himself at his 20-seat restaurant. “I blend it every morning, every day,” he says proudly. Banish any memory of the harsh Kikkoman table topper that, in comparison to Takeda’s, is as subtle as a bludgeon. The sheer, vinegary liquid that pours from Sushi Nanase’s pitchers is fragrant and subtly peppery, with the complexity of fine wine and the barest twinkle of salt. But remember, at Sushi Nanase, Less is always More. Touch only the flesh of your fish to the sauce, or the rice will wick up too much.
