New York Japanese Cuisine (1)

The Restlessness That Even Prestigious Labels Can't Suppress 🌸 【SSAW at Hirohisa】 This year, New York's Japanese cuisine scene is set to welcome some fresh blood with a three-week pop-up at Hirohisa. 🏙️ The name SSAW stands for the four seasons—spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Located in Brooklyn, it presents a new style of Japanese cuisine with the core concept of "East meets West." 🌊 🍃At first glance, Chef Yusuke's resume seems quite impressive. He trained at the renowned Tokyo kaiseki restaurants Ishikawa and Torafuku. However, upon further inquiry, it was revealed that he had worked with Chef Sono early in his career. Given his relatively young age, one might wonder if his tenure at these two establishments was rather brief? Judging from this pop-up, the $180 price tag, including service, is clearly playing it safe. As such, it would be unrealistic to expect too much from the dishes. An objective assessment would be that they are just average. There is a sense that both the cooking of the ingredients and the seasoning are somewhat lacking. 🌺 【Appetizer】 Hairy crab with crab miso, fern and bamboo shoots were not very fresh. The mayonnaise seasoning was overly sweet, and the sansho leaves failed to provide the expected umami boost. 🏙️ 【Soup】 The clams had a strong briny odor. The glutinous rice underneath was sticky and bland, making it a rather unpalatable dish. 🎢 【Soup Bowl】 The onion soup had a texture somewhat similar to lotus root powder, smooth and rich. The caramelized onions exuded a sweet and fragrant aroma. The lotus root mochi, slightly fried to bring out its sweetness, had a chewy texture with a hint of stickiness and elasticity, reminiscent of lotus root cake. 🍃 #NewYork