Conohen - Review - Bedford-Stuyvesant - New York - The Infatuation

"You can’t find Conohen on a map (for now), so listen closely. The next time you feel like your regular weekend bagel routine is in need of a refresh, head to The Word Is Change, a bookstore in Bed-Stuy. Then look to your right, where you’ll see a takeout window. That’s Conohen, a weekend-only Japanese pop-up serving fresh onigiri and other snacks mostly to people who have passed this place and wondered why it smelled like sushi rice. The facade is plastered with printer paper signs that might alert you that there's chicken kara-age today or that the chef’s special of the day is ahi poke with chips. There’s also a sign saying they will be opening as a full-on restaurant “this summer.” (The “summer” they’re referring to remains unclear.) Get at least two onigiri, because they're made-to-order and filled with things like konbu and grilled salmon, but also try a sandwich. They come on pillowy milk bread, with the crusts cut off. There's a slightly unfinished (for now) backyard where you can eat your first rice ball, but you should take them to-go and work through your haul while window-shopping down Tompkins Avenue. Food Rundown Sandwiches Yes, those are the crusts, and yes, they fry them up and serve them on the side of the sandwich like french fries. Try the egg salad, which is soft and seeps into that squishy milk bread. photo credit: Willa Moore Onigiri They’re bigger than the onigiri you’ll find at your local Japanese grocery store, and they’re also better, because they’re warm, freshly made, and overflowing with grilled salmon or salty-sweet beef. photo credit: Willa Moore" - Willa Moore