The Bar Downstairs and Kitchen New York

In my time as critic, I wrote a lot of reviews of sushi counters that I thought were game changers for New York. Then a year or so later an even more impressive spot would come along and change the game again. (See: Ichimura at Brushstroke, Sushi Nakazawa, Nakaji, 69 Leonard under two different chefs, Yoshino.)

Early this year, Sushi Sho opened on East 41st. I didn't have a chance to review it before I left the job, but if I had I would have said that it had elevated the game once again. It is now the most impressive sushi counter in the city in just about every way.

I finally wrote about it this week. It's not a review but a profile of the chef and owner, Keiji Nakazawa. He was one of the leaders of the Edomae revival, a return to pre-refrigeration techniques for treating fish. The movement has rippled out from Tokyo around the world. "People realized that what was done 100 years ago was valuable," he told me.

On Monday, he learned that Michelin has given Sushi Sho two stars.

Please see my profile to learn more about his career and influence on the sushi scene. Link in bio. Less