Sushi Shion by the namesake Japanese chef Shion Uino sates the highest expectations from the Tokyo frequenting sushi lovers in New York. Hailing from Sushi Saito, one of the most iconic three Michelin sushi restaurants in Tokyo and for many experts the best sushiya in Japan, this authentic Japanese export to Manhattan will not disappoint. The young chef Uino worked himself all the way up to precisely cutting and moulding nigiri sushi at the second counter of Saito, and currently Sushi Shion rivals in quality to Masa, another Edomae-style omakase shrine in New York.

Awabi, tako at Sushi Amane NYC
sashimi
sea urchin
clam at Sushi Amane
Japanese crab
ika
Simmered Sea perch
Japanese fish
Humble, relaxed, friendly, intimate and focused, right in his first year in New York of opening Sushi Amane chef Shion Uino received his own first Michelin star. While Amane is now headed by another sushi chef bunkered bellow another established Japanese restaurant, the Mifune, Sushi Shion is a headline on its own. Located in TriBeCa at 69 Leonard street, he was called over by Idan Elkon, the owner of both establishments. Taking the game to a grander scale with even more premium seasonal wild products, the chef’s signature plates he learned at Saito, and an elegant setting haloed by contemporary art, Sushi Shion is perfectly set where it should be. Above, I feature some photos from the chef’s dishes and bellow the setting at Sushi Amane. While some plates remain, more rare fish is included now thanks to the wider accessibility of the New York market to these premium products.
Sushi Amane NYC
tuna sushi
sushi artisan
Japanese sushi chef
omakase sushi
Sushi chef in New York
Final touch on anago sushi
Sushi Amane NYC
The eight-seat bar like at the greatest Tokyo sushi spots is simply decorated the purchase of the highest quality fish and seafood. The $250 (plus tax) at Amane here climbs to $350 ($420 per person with the added 20% Manhattan gratuity) nightly (except for Sunday) omakase menu that sources the best wild sea (plus sweet water eel) produce available on the very competitive market.
The pure edomae, no caviar, foie gras and gold leaves for the Instagram snaps, celebration of the chef’s Sushi Saito apprenticeship is best for those coming to Sushi Shion not to show off but to appreciate. Mastering for hours simmered abalone (awabi), perfectly cooked and marinated laid next to the crunchy yet delicately soft octopus (tako) in Saito style on the US soil awed our palates in full decadence. Marinated red snapper (yokura) or other seasonal zuke style sashimi (marinated in a cooled reduction of sake with shoyu) follow. Slightly charred clams or scallops like two coins are handed sandwiched in a crisp warm nori. A trio of Hokkaido and a small, sublime Kyushu uni are otherworldly. The chef serves the sea urchin from different parts of Japan, particularly priding in his hometown of Amakusa that produces a very elegant, balanced sea urchin.
sushi
gizzard shad
kai sushi
lean tuna
medium fatty tuna
fatty tuna
aji
squid
eel
Japanese egg omelette
Japanese handroll
miso soup
Pickles, the vinegared sunemono such as cucumbers and cubed (as opposed to the more common shaved slivers) ginger root ready your palate for change. The omakase sushi at Sushi Shion changes sometimes daily. You may get hata/羽太 (grouper) with ponzu and shiso leaf sauce with a yuzu citrus punch, squid brushed with yuzu nitsume sauce, kai (red snapper), kohada (gizzard shad), beaker, akami (red-fleshed bonito) and some rarities like… The omnipresent maguro (tuna), from its lean cut through the more fatty in chu-toro, his was a bit earthy in autumn, to the fattiest belly in the winter in o-toro. The sushi rice at Amane is not as sticky and in so allows for the fish to stand out. An almost undetectable touch of freshly grated wasabi is dabbed on the rice. With omakase sake works wonders, the fermented rice beverage cleans the palate in between the morsels, but the wine list at Sushi Shion is worth glimpsing over if your pocket is not too deep.
Michelin sushi New York
Michelin sushi New York
Michelin sushi New York
Michelin sushi New York
Michelin sushi New York
Michelin sushi New York
Japanese uni
Michelin sushi New York

 

Follows hot, steamed fish with its skin, my favourite is kinmeidai. Beware burning your tongue, unlike with the sushi, you can wait to chop stick it into your mouth. Aji (horse mackerel) with chopped spring onion, anago – cooked warm eel in a delicate, balanced, not too sweet sauce, and the last rice filler – the otherworldly tuna hand-roll in the most perfect crispy nori sheet. You can pay for extras. It is your call or the chef can select for you either a different part of chu-toro, horse mackerel and akami that he thought was the best on that day. My salivating husband devoured them with pleasure (getting ahead of the balancing vegetarian meals that I mostly prepare back at home). Miso soup soothes the stomach and a superb tamagoyaki egg cake, sweet with a dense cheesecake texture, juicy pudding like, settles the night’s bill.
sakesake ceramics

Over a decade under his sushi belt taught the chef a razor concentration on his material. He slices each morsel with gentle elegance and brushes the nigiri like a painter with the reduction sauce of nitsume or the nikiri sweet glaze. To witness him in his mindful artisanship is a meditative rather than just a theatrical experience for any participant in this delectable ritual set in the sped-up New York.
As with our first spotless meals at Amane, we now make sure we dine at Sushi Shion every time we fly in. Be on time, if you are more than 30 minutes late for your reservation or cancel under 72 hours prior to your meal there, you will be charged the full fee per guest. Each seating starts when all guest are seated so this is also a lesson in politeness. Book through phone or online on Resy, where I enjoyed an intriguing interview with the chef and the owner of Sushi Shion.

+1 212 404 4600

Mon-Sat 6pm or 8:30pm seating

 69 Leonard street, Tribeca, NYC