nobi sushi

www.nobisushinyc.com

This place is only a couple blocks away from my apartment, and every time I've walked by it I've thought 'that's going to become my neighborhood sushi place'. It's small - only 7 or 8 tables - and relatively innocuous looking, with a quiet, illuminated waterfall just behind the door and big windows that open out onto the street. But something about it is appealing, whether the lack of pounding techno music, the intimacy of the space, or the people I always see inside: happy, not remotely touristy, and super relaxed. I went for the first time late Saturday night and wasn't at all disappointed. The menu is pretty standard but the prices are more than reasonable: I ordered the sashimi salad (huge, with chunks of fresh tuna, salmon, crab and whitefish tossed in a tangy ginger dressing) and a cucumber shitake roll (delicious, with lots of mushrooms) for only $12. Everything looked fresh and the staff were incredibly friendly. Best of all, the chef presented us with a free dessert just before we left: mochi filled with vanilla ice cream and topped with whipped cream and a drizzle of hot fudge. Who can say no to a free dessert??

437 3rd Avenue (b/w 30 and 31)
website

*recommendations:
  sashimi salad
  loving roll
  3rd avenue roll
  cucumber shitake roll