Nestled in Greenwich Village, DOMODOMO is a sleek Japanese spot renowned for its innovative hand rolls and sushi, set against a stylish wooden backdrop.
"Most of the handroll bars on this list do their best work when they keep things simple, but the best rolls at Domodomo are the more complex ones. Kabocha puree and mustard seeds add an extra burst of flavor to the miso black cod, and we love the touch of tomato mayo on the salmon. The sleek, light wood and luxe details (we love a hot hand towel) make Domodomo feel a little fancy, though not quite nice enough for a special occasion. Instead, come through for a date night or celebration that calls for a small splurge, like spending the extra $5 to top your unagi with foie gras. " - neha talreja, bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick
"Our favorite sushi spot in Jersey City is offering outdoor dining every day from 12-2:30pm and 5-10pm, with reservations available through their website." - hannah albertine, nikko duren, matt tervooren
"Most sushi places in New York tend to fit into one of four tiers: 1. The top of the top, the kind of places that people make documentaries and write novels on Yelp about - the Sushi Nakazawas of the world. The space will be beautiful, and the courses will be plenty. The food may blow your mind, and so will the bill. Probably an anniversary/birthday/just IPO-ed kind of affair, reserved for maybe once a year, maybe once a lifetime visits. 2. Places that are still serving some pretty fancy/serious sushi, but cost a little less, and probably at least give you the option of ordering a la carte. Sushi Of Gari is a good example. 3. The quality neighborhood spots we can actually patronize regularly - bless you Takahachi. 4. Finally, places solely reserved for Seamless orders. Try not to look too closely when you pass them in real life. Here's the thing about Domodomo, which took the place of beloved Tier 2 standby Ushiwakamaru on Houston Street: we're not sure which group it fits into. Why is this sushi place different from all other sushi places? First of all, Domodomo is a "handroll bar," which means instead of rolls or pieces of sushi, you're ordering handrolls. They're all freshly made, with crisp seaweed, quality rice, and good fish, even if we don't know how many of them to order. Aesthetically, the place looks like it could be in Tier #1. It's probably the light wood, and the whole quiet, zen vibe of the place. They also serve you a tiny little tablet that expands into a towel when you drop it in some water that's enclosed in a polished rock. Don't worry about the details - point is, it feels fancy. Pricewise, you can end up at either a Tier 2 or a 3. There's a $68 omakase option, and other $45 or $30 handroll sets. We've ordered a la carte, and still can't figure out how much to order. Four handrolls and some other dishes to share? We also probably could have eaten twelve, but you'd start getting close to Tier #1 prices pretty quickly. We like Domodomo, but we're not quite sure when to use it. It's a little intense to be a neighborhood spot (though the food is more than good enough, and if you order smartly, the prices OK), but not quite special enough to be a special occasion destination. Maybe on a date where you don't want to eat too much? Not sure we're ready to add a fifth tier just yet. Food Rundown Chawanmushi A tasty little pot of egg custard with truffle. It comes included on the set menu, but we'd just order one a la carte to share. photo credit: Domodomo Lobster Handroll All the handrolls come fresh with crispy seaweed and quality rice. This one also has buttery lobster inside, making it our favorite. Almost like a lobster roll handroll. Blue Crab Handroll With some aioli and light sauteed onion, you want this roll as well. Negi Toro Handroll Cold, soft fatty tuna makes for another very good handroll. Salmon Handroll A little too simple - the better rolls are the more complex ones. photo credit: Domodomo Unagi Handroll This one's different - the eel comes on a flat piece of seaweed that you roll up yourself. There's also a little drop of chocolate sauce on the eel. Very exciting. photo credit: Domodomo Uni Pasta Apparently a house favorite, squid ink noodles are topped with sea urchin and caviar, all sitting in a "cheddar dashi." The whole thing tastes a little like Kraft mac and cheese, with some fancy stuff thrown on top - not as amazing as it might sound when you're stoned." - Hillary Reinsberg
"This Greenwich Village spot offers sushi combo sets that range from $23 for four handrolls to $65 for the “Domokase” that includes your choice of two handrolls filled with things like buttery lobster or negi toro, along with tuna sashimi and 12 pieces of premium sushi. And if your roommates feel like they don’t deserve sushi tonight, they could order things like miso black cod, garlic bacon fried rice, and uni pasta." - matt tervooren
"Even during non-election years, we most often go to Domodomo for handrolls and solitude. If that combination sounds good to you (it should), stop by this sushi spot on Houston Street for some excellent raw fish wrapped up in seaweed like a personal present. Make sure to get the unagi handroll, it has a little drop of savory-sweet chocolate sauce that we think about on a bi-annual basis." - hannah albertine, nikko duren
