Between Mid-Town and Times Square
12 courses $50 8-18 seats
As one of New York’s 30-minute omakase restaurant additions, Sushi Lab quickly moved to the top of our NY sushi To-Do List. Situated in the corner of the Sanctuary Hotel lobby, Sushi Lab is on brand with our vision of a classic NY space...compact. From the whimsical décor to the truly scientific concoctions, Sushi Lab is on par with its namesake.
Since stopping by during our work-lunch, we arrived promptly, hoping to be seated right away. Once shown to our spot, the waitress asks us if we are ordering a la cart, or off one of the omakase courses. We elect the 10-piece course with soup and a hand-roll and settle in to our seats. Since not everyone had arrived on time, the chef began preparing our course on schedule, and we were given a private show.
Out of all the omakase experiences we have had, this was hands-down the most creative. From the showmanship to the creations, each item was a first for us. Some of our favorites included the smoky miso soup, scallop topped with truffle, and fatty tuna topped with onion micro-greens. When you have a place presenting culinary beauties such as torched madai with rose petals, it is hard to leave disappointed. We thoroughly enjoyed all of the flavor combinations and fun the chefs had preparing each piece. Our only area of critique would be in the size of the fish. While preferences vary from person to person, we prefer a bit smaller cut of fish (we have small mouths). In addition, we rarely enjoy raw shrimp, and today was no exception. Our advice? Leave the ama ebi – sweet shrimp – to the $100+ omakase restaurants and stick with amazing concoctions and consistent fish.
Overall, we had a lovely meal, and would highly-recommend stopping in.
Sushi Lab Omakase at a glance
Rice: Decent rice temperature and flavor.
Fish: OK quality fish, cut a little thicker than we prefer; however, the flavor combinations are amazing.
Vibe: Work-lunch vibe in the lobby of a hotel. Fun and casual, yet sophisticated.
Experience: Little interaction with the chef, however, the theatrics and closeness to the action is amazing.
Value: Great value, with $50 getting you 10 nigiri delicacies, a soup, and a handroll.
For reservations, click HERE
Other 30-minute omakase restaurants
Sushi on Jones
Sushi by Bou
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