Yasuhiko Mitani opens Mitani New York in Midtown Manhattan

Chef Yasuhiko Mitani opened Mitani New York inside Midtown’s Lotte New York Palace hotel at 455 Madison Avenue in May, bringing a seasonal dinner tasting menu priced at $700 per person, Eater NY reported. The new restaurant offers diners a reservation through Tock without the multi-year backlog or personal introductions required in Japan.

Mitani New York Features Two Private Dining Rooms

Mitani New York features two private dining rooms, each equipped with a six-seat, L-shaped hinoki counter. Executive chef Kazuya Tsurta leads the cream-colored Oh Room, having spent five years at Kioicho Mitani alongside fellow alum Daichi Shimamiya. Traditional Japanese refrigerators cooled by blocks of ice rather than electricity are concealed behind counter panels. The adjoining Koku Room counter sits within charcoal-colored earthen walls. Mitani works behind both counters roughly three times a year when visiting New York.

Tokyo Counter Requires Four-Year Waitlist via Introductions

For two decades, securing one of the six seats at chef Yasuhiko Mitani’s original Tokyo counter has required a four-year waitlist through an introduction-only system. Mitani opened his first counter in 2006, earning a Tabelog Gold award, before expanding with Kioicho Mitani Honten in 2016 and Kioicho Mitani Bettei in 2021. Regulars in Japan currently book Honten about a year in advance and Bettei roughly 10 months ahead.

Seasonal Tasting Menu Uses Seafood from Japanese Auctions

The $700 seasonal dinner tasting menu includes roughly six appetizers and 10 to 12 pieces of sushi built entirely around Japanese seafood sourced at fish-market auctions. Seafood travels from Haneda Airport to the New York counter in less than 24 hours. Mitani adjusts the temperature of individual pieces of fish and seasoned rice, known as shari, to create what he terms a temperature gradient. For instance, otoro nigiri is served at 59 degrees while the shari is kept at 68 degrees.

The meal centers on “Mariage,” an approach to pairing courses with high-end wines, sake, and tea. While high-end counters such as Sushi Noz and Jōji have incorporated French wines into omakase services for years, Mitani pours aged Champagne, Burgundy, and Sauternes from bottles like 2002 Cristal and 1981 Château d’Yquem for individual glasses. Two Mariage options are available: an entry-level tier adding $800 to bring the total to $1,500 per person, and a premium version starting at $2,000.

Manhattan Location Offers Alternative to Tokyo Waitlist

Mitani states that he began considering a New York expansion five years ago to create opportunities for his apprentices and to take on what he describes as the most challenging place in the world to do business. For now, the Manhattan location provides an accessible alternative for patrons who would otherwise face a multi-year wait in Tokyo.