NYCReview
photo credit: Kate Previte
KazuNori
Included In
Our friends keep moving to Los Angeles—cheaper rent, sunshine, seeing Emma Stone in your workout class, yada yada yada. But there’s a bit of eastward movement as well, mostly in the form of restaurants. First came Sugarfish, the beloved kind-of affordable sushi place, and now we also have its more relaxed younger sibling, KazuNori, which serves exclusively handrolls.
When you walk into this restaurant on 29th Street, you’ll be handed a paper menu and a pencil, and you’ll be instructed to take a seat along the long bar. It’s like a mix of going to a fast casual restaurant, a fancy cocktail bar, and the local middle school where you took your SATs.
Once seated with your pencil and paper, you’ll pick which hand roll set you want—they come in sets of three to six, with the six topping out at $34. Each roll is handed to you freshly made, one at a time, and they’re designed to be eaten immediately for maximum seaweed-crispness. It’s a good deal, and it’s also fast: everyone sits along a bar and you’ll probably be out in under 40 minutes. The quality is good, and it’s a satisfying option for almost-cheap sushi. Hit it early (before 7) to avoid waits.
We’d recommend KazuNori for a quick dinner, not for a date or a night out. It’s a good place to eat solo. Remember, all your friends moved to LA anyway.