Tyler S.
Yelp
3.5/5
After getting excited for Chef Masa's return to NYC, I was disappointed by Ito.
For months, I was eagerly awaiting the opening of the restaurant. Over the past year, I ate at Sushi Zo twice at the recommendation of my colleagues. While I feel like Sushi Zo is slightly overpriced at $250, the style speaks to me. It's simple and delicious. But my boss kept saying how much better the restaurant was when Chef Masa was there. So I just assumed that Ito would be a better version of Zo. Ito is very different.
Dinner was 18 courses for $275. When I first saw the price, I was relieved that it wasn't $400. But I have mixed feelings about this price too - it's no bargain.
My favorite items from the night were their signature dish (uni and ikura atop sushi rice), chutoro from Japan, bafun uni sushi from Hokkaido, nodoguro, and the Yamazaki A5 wagyu sushi.
If you notice which my favorites were, they are pieces that you would expect to be good. It is also likely that these premium ingredients are what increases the cost of the menu. Though if you removed them, the restaurant would have little to fall back on.
Ito reminded me of Shuko - it felt like a new, updated version. But I struggle to see why someone should spend $275 to go to Ito when they could eat at Shuko, Ishikawa, or Kissaki instead. And I certainly wouldn't recommend those over Sushi Ikumi, Sushi Noz (Ash Room), or Sushi Ginza Onodera (lunch) either. $275 is a lot of money and as the price of the omakase increases, the bar is set much higher. I think Ito will struggle to find and retain their target clientele in the long run given what they offer relative to the competition in the NYC market.
To be fair, it seems that the main issues that I have with the restaurant are that the style doesn't fit my preferences and price. I understand that there are customers who are seeking luxe shops that serve wagyu, caviar, uni, and toro. I just feel that the concept of this restaurant prioritizes hype and flashiness over technique.
In the "new world order" of Shion, Noz, Yoshino, Noda, and Nakaji, I think Ito will struggle to stand out.