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Ninja New York features contemporary Japanese fusion cuisine and a bit of the unexpected
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The customary "Smith, party of four" is on the tip of your tongue -- until the shadowy lantern- and flame-lit lobby of Ninja New York located at 25 Hudson Street catches you a little off guard. Just where is this restaurant? But as your eyes adjust to the cave-like environs, the incongruously black-clad Ninjas -- or at least Ninja wannabes -- begin to appear.
Would you like to follow the "easy" or "difficult" path to your table, they ask. Do not be faint-hearted -- there is really nothing thorny about the hard road. You will be whisked via elevator down to the subterranean dining floor, across which your guide will lead you along a somewhat labyrinthine path to your table. With his recitation of an incantation here or a secret pass code there, a drawbridge will descend from the heavens to allow you to traverse the River of Frogs or a wall will move to reveal an intimate dining area.
You have arrived. Ninja New York is a $3.5 million dollar, 6,000-square-foot recreation of two 18th-century, mountainside Japanese villages, Iga and Kouga, the birthplace of Ninja warrior lore. Ninja New York's sister restaurant, Ninja Akasaka, located in Tokyo, is extremely successful, and this Manhattan follower promises to duplicate that popularity. For its novelty alone, it will score big here. "Ninja New York is a one-of-a-kind, Japanese dining experience in New York. The restaurant took two years to complete," says Toshio Kabe, general manager. "In Japan, sister restaurant Ninja Akasaka is one of the hardest restaurants to be seated in, and we're sure that Ninja New York will be just as successful with the excellent quality of food, amazing service, and unique atmosphere."
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| The exterior of Ninja New York offers just a taste of its unique ambience |
It is quite clear from the get-go that this enchanting restaurant, which opened in mid-September, is definitely not your classic New York eatery. It's an inventive theatrical experience to be sure, more Disneyland than Ducasse, at first sight. But wait … you've had only your sight tickled thus far; your palate has not yet been seduced.
The elaborate menu, handsomely presented on a ceremonial scroll, reveals delights for the daring as well as traditional fare for the less adventuresome. The contemporary Japanese fusion cuisine is prepared under the whisk of Executive Chef Michinobu Okamoto, who apprenticed under Kihachi Kumagai, owner/chef of the renowned Kihachi in Aoyama, Tokyo. When you unroll the menu and spread it out, it will cascade off your table. You'll see a note telling you that the menu has been prepared based on the "Ninja Recipe Bible," the secrets of which are described throughout the menu.
There are tasting menus at various price points, from $80 and up -- topping off at a lavish ten-course meal. At $200 per person, this lush sampling features courses laden with caviar and the riches of sea and earth. Watching each course arrive is a treat, too, because the serving platters and bowls are just as carefully selected as are the ingredients of the dishes. And, of course, there is sushi galore, artfully presented on driftwood.
Because there's a touch of theme park in all aspects of the dining experience, expect the unexpected. Think Orlando carnival, not Big Apple boîte. So, when your waiter arrives to take your order and opens his "wallet," steel yourself for a display of fireworks, as stupefying flames ignite seemingly from nowhere. We don't want to give away too many secrets about the magic that awaits you, because surprise is part of the experience and fun. But, know that your meal will be peppered not merely with condiments and savory flavors, but with entertainment and ecstatic giggles, as well. (And, these are tax-free!)
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| Ninjas take diners down elaborate paths to their intimate tables |
The $100 menu, which is also a ten-course extravaganza (be prepared to spend hours supping), starts off promisingly with an amuse-bouche of tofu-flavored cream cheese with a surprise nugget of lobster inside. There is a course with vegetable tempura (Ninja-style, of course) and delicacies like grilled eel, steamed shrimp, and vegetables in jelly served with seaweed salad, topped off with a tangy yuzu dressing. The soups are deliciously complicated and layered with flavors, and there are two from which to choose: clam and bacon broth with soy milk featuring a chunk of sliced Kurobuta pork loin and vegetables and ton-yam-kung paste (don't worry, the waiter will explain it all) or a rich borscht-style onion soup with steamed veal.
There is a palate-dazzling intermezzo of Hudson Valley foie gras served on a giant daikon radish, dramatically presented on a hot stone plate. For the main courses (if you can possibly eat more by the time they arrive), select between prime, aged shell steak cooked with a choice of Japanese sauces or a tuna steak lathered in wasabi.
But the meal doesn't end there. By the time the next course comes and then desserts are proffered, you will be hard pressed to make any decision whatsoever. The solution? Have everyone in your party choose a different sugary confection, because they're all delightful to look at and ever so tasty.
There's the "Bonsai," shaped exactly like a bonsai tree and constructed from chocolate cake and ice cream with hidden fruits in the soil. It's so charming you'll really not want to prune it with a fork or spoon. "The Moon Light" is a flat chocolate mousse cake, heartbreakingly delicious, with a glittery crescent of a moon and clouds embellished on the top. The dessert that looks like a white bird, an apple compote with cream, is aptly called "White Heron." The "Cream Cheese Cake" would give even Junior's, Brooklyn's cheesecake institution, some pause. It's craftily molded to resemble a frog, crouching under a lotus leaf.
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| Sushi dishes are artfully presented on driftwood |
Ninja New York can offer very varied experiences -- food aside -- because there is no single main dining room, but rather a rabbit warren of 22 different rooms all tucked into the "mountainside." In total, the restaurant seats 105. Additionally, there's a lounge that can accommodate just over 30 and a sushi bar for ten. The latter is an ideal watering hole for the harried Wall Streeter, who, after a tough day in the trenches, wants superb sushi on the way uptown but hopes to skip the Ninja fireworks and get right down to dinner.
There are several intimate rooms for two, ideal for a tête-à-tête or a lovers' tryst, with sliding screens that keep them very private. For true aficionados, there is a tatami room, called the "Tazura" room, which seats four and has an array of lavish pillows for reclining and dining in comfort. The "Sarutobi" (Flying Monkey) room has been furnished with trappings from Japan and features a suspended teakettle in the center of the open, hearth-like table, where, in a traditional Japanese home, a fire would keep the kettle perpetually simmering. Another interesting room is called "Oburu;" it features a sunken table, with the bench-style seating constructed in the ground so diners eat level with the floor. The largest room could probably seat ten or maybe even 12 with a little squeezing, and there are other intimate spaces for four, six, and eight. Some are dimly lit and cozy -- others are brighter for those who want to talk business in between the parade of courses.
The restaurant is open daily for dinner, from 5:45 p.m.; the last seating is at 10 p.m. Lunch is served from 11:45 to 2:15 p.m., and reservations are recommended. The lounge area is less formal and has an à la carte menu as well as a $60 tasting menu. The sushi bar offers a tasting menu, called omakase, for $150, or an okonomi menu, which allows you to order individual pieces.
Ninja New York's motto is "Excitement and inspiration for all customers," and it truly lives up to that dictum.
Ninja New York, 25 Hudson St., between Duane and Reade Streets, (212) 274-8500
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