Reports About New Restaurant By 'Jiro Dreams Of Sushi' Chef And Restaurateur Alessandro Borgognone May Be Inaccurate
Details surrounding the newest restaurant from Daisuke Nakazawa (a chef featured in the popular 2012 documentary 'Jiro Dreams of Sushi,') and his partner Alessandro Borgognone have been filling Twitter feeds, but according to a tipster, early reports from lots of outlets may have gotten some of the details wrong (including us), the first time around.
The rush to get something up is understandable given the parties involved in the newest West Village Grove Street project. The new restaurant, which is as of yet unnamed (and was first reported by The Daily Meal last June), will be the first endeavor by the newest members of the small club of restaurateurs and chefs who have achieved four-star status from The New York Times. The duo made waves in December 2013, when Pete Wells' review made their West Village restaurant Sushi Nakazawa one of just six places in New York City to hold that honor.[pullquote:right]
Given their meteoric rise and success, everyone will be watching a project that may very well be one of the next hottest tickets in town.
The new project has been described as a "Japanese restaurant," and a "Sushi-Free Spot for Walk-Ins," with a tasting menu that "combines Japanese and American ingredients and preparations."
Some of the dishes reported after an appearance by Borgognone in front of Community Board 2's liquor license committee included: fluke carpaccio with white sturgeon caviar, Meyer lemon, seaweed, and karashi; Akamutsu (Japanese bluefish) with Bordeaux spinach and poached citrus jam; sea urchin spaghettini; Dungeness with roasted pistachio, broccoli, and ponzu; Maine scallop with creamed butter and blackened chives; and baby octopus with fingerlings, citrus, and sour cherry.
"Nakazawa will also try his hand at non-seafood items, such as an okra and honeycrisp apple salad; duck liver with strawberry and honey; dry aged beef toast with wasabi, Himalayan rock salt and blackened leeks; and butternut squash ravioli with candied walnuts and Meyer lemon," DNA Info reported.
But according to the tipster, while rumors of a tasting menu seem on target, and Daisuke Nakazawa is involved in that he and Borgognone are partners in their hospitality group and this is a new restaurant from their hospitality group, the concept has yet to be determined. Nakazawa may not even be the new restaurant's head chef.
Stay tuned. It seems like there's much more ahead to learn about the new Nakazawa-Borgognone project.