Sushi Nakazawa

Sushi Nakazawa (23 Commerce Street, West Village) is where I go when I want the full omakase experience and I’m willing to pay for it. The prix fixe is $150+ per person before drinks, and it’s worth it in the way that any truly great meal is worth it. You don’t do it often, but when you do, you remember it.

Chef Nakazawa trained under Jiro Ono (yes, the Jiro Dreams of Sushi guy). The 20-course omakase is meticulous. Every piece is perfect. The sea urchin still shows up in my dreams sometimes.

Make no mistake. This is a special occasion restaurant. But if you’re going to splurge on sushi in New York, this is where I’d do it.

Chef Daisuke Nakazawa, protégé of Jiro Ono (of Jiro Dream of Sushi renown) helms the 10-seat counter at Sushi Nakazawa, a Michelin-starred sushi restaurant in the West Village.

Remarkably tender fish served atop expertly-seasoned rice, the melt-in-your-mouth nigiri isn’t easy to forget. The omakase menu consists of twenty pieces of nigiri priced at $190 for the counter ($160 for the dinning room). Sit at the counter to see Nakazawa work his magic.

The palatable prices are surprising, especially considering the uncompromising quality of fish and the chef’s acclaim. The entire experience is magnificent from start to finish, which is why Sushi Nakazawa is a personal favorite of mine.