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“EN Japanese Brasserie”


  Occasion: Cuisine: Area: Cost: Rating:
  Night Out Asian Tribeca Moderate Great

There are those restaurants that take your breath away upon entry, where the design is so spectacular, that you really don’t care what you are fed, as long as you can stay awhile, perhaps with a glass of wine, or even a bit of water. Spice Market, with its jewel-toned lanterns, and sexy Indian soiree vibe comes to mind, as does Public, in another more minimalist yet equally enthralling sort of way. And on a rainy night last week, walking through the heavy, tall doors and into EN, a new Japanese Brasserie that opened on a lonely stretch of Hudson Street a few weeks ago, I was hit by that sort of a design whamee. I honestly didn’t care what I ate that night as long as I could stay and stare at the space. It is stunning, but in a quiet way. Adam Kushner (Kushner Studios Architecture and Design) and Ichiro Sato of Age Designs are responsible for the restaurant’s breathtaking interior. Vaulted ceilings—palatial in height—with delicately carved wooden accents adorning the walls, candle light, Chinese lantern fruit strung up on bamboo poles, Japanese clay vases, and low, glamorous lighting create the magnificent Zen temple décor.

EN is the debut project of Bunkei Yo and his sister Reika Yo, Japanese restaurateurs with a desire to introduce New Yorkers to the lesser-known flavors of traditional Japanese home cooking. EN was originally born in the suburbs of Japan where it opened as a small spot on the 3rd floor of a building without an elevator. Daring, no? In New York, you couldn’t pay people to walk up three flights for dinner. (Believe me, I have trouble convincing myself to go home some nights because I know I have 5 flights ahead of me.) Anyway, Bunkei’s concept for EN was to marry the tapas-styled pub fare of Izakaya restaurants (like Kasadela here in New York) with the gracious hospitality of the finest Ryotei—very intimate and quite fancy 4-star establishments. The concept was unheard of, but two dozen restaurants later, well, it seems Bunkei was onto something. And why not share it with those Americans (or at least New Yorkers). I am certainly glad they did.

And so EN comes to New York from far away, and brings with it the spirit and cuisine of a Japan we really have not yet known. For instance, have you ever had homemade tofu ($7)? Well, at EN you can, and should. The squiggly soy stuff comes out every few hours of the night (6, 7:30, 9, 10:30 and 11:30—sort of like the movie times for Side ... [more, click below]

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Other restaurants in Tribeca :
+ Lunchbox Food Company--Closed   + 66: THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED   + Ola-- Closed   + Bouley   + Dominic   + Landmarc   + Pace-- Closed   + EN Japanese Brasserie   + Centrico   + Cercle Rouge   + The Harrison   + Turks & Frogs Tribeca   + Devin Tavern   + Dani-- Closed Now   + Bacaro/Smith & Mills   + The Harrison   + Matsugen, By Guest Reviewer Kathleen Squires   + Forge   + Macao Trading Company   + Harbour   + Review text tbd...   + Mehtaphor   + Brushstroke   + Jung Sik   


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