Nori

Duck breast with mushroom risotto

Photograph: Jeff Gurwin

We confess that we never sank our chopsticks into the egg foo yong and grits at departed Sino-Southern soul-food spot Hip Hop Chow. But we’re still thankful that its replacement bears no resemblance to that gimmicky eatery. Instead, a minimalist vibe pervades this snug space that barely manages to fit a handful of banquettes (upholstered in a tasteful shade of cream) and wooden tables. We made a beeline to the hospital-bright sushi bar, where a very polite waitress brought us our first course, an appetizer of fried chunks of panko-crusted chicken to nibble on. Our only gripe about the juicy poultry was that the menu touted it as spicy, even though its mayonnaise-based sauce lacked fire. Beyond the usual suspects, like yellowtail rolls and chicken teriyaki, the menu offers a few riffs on European standbys, such as a special starter of mushroom risotto—silver-dollar-size pucks of creamy rice topped with slivers of slightly sweet duck breast and fresh wasabi—that harmonize the two cuisines. A salty, overly chewy rib eye, however, didn’t fare as well. No matter—the main draw here is the top-notch sushi. The sashimi platter brims with eight varieties of immaculate raw seafood, including scallops so luscious they don’t need to be dipped in the sake-infused soy sauce. As with most Japanese spots, the dessert offerings are paltry, and we barely managed to polish off a humdrum chocolate soufflé cake and too-runny green-tea tart. But if it’s sushi you’re craving, this East Village addition shouldn’t be missed.

—TONY