Omakase at Tsuki
Tsuki has been open on an innocuous stretch of 1st Avenue for nine years. I’ve been living in the area for over four, and each one seems wasted now that I know what I’ve been missing. The sushi master is Kazutoshi Maeda, a petite and charming man whose gray hair and slight hunch belie the volcanic eruption of creativity taking place in his peepers. For a while, Maeda trained a gaijin apprentice, whom he left to man the counter during summers (he’s since departed for New Jersey). The results were mixed, and posters on eGullet cried inconsistency. With Maeda back behind the counter full time, you can be sure you’re in good hands. As with any of the best sushi spots, omakase is the way to go. The flight of marine morsels is breathtaking, and starting at $50, at least half the price of worthy competitors. Tsuki is an absolute gem in an area already brimming with top notch sushi destinations (Gari, Seki, Sasabune), and seeing Maeda at work quickly turns into spectacle — all set to a swingin’ jazz soundtrack.
Tsuki 1410 1st Ave, (212) 517-6860
