DOMODOMO: A Modernist's Interpretation
Just a few blocks away from my alma mater (NYU), DOMODOMO is home to some of the most affordable sushi pieces I've had in New York City. Not only that, this beautiful restaurant is committed to quality ingredients and eclectic flavor combinations.
The interior is sleek and elegant. For this visit, I came with my friend Helen. We sat at the long sushi bar counter top for direct access to the sushi chefs. The sushi bar mimics a gentle spotlight over an elevated pedestal designed to present the sushi close to eye level.
In terms of food, I recommend checking out their Domokase [$75] or Sushi Course [$52 USD]. These are really good value options. We got the Sushi Course and it was just right! Their menu also offers a variety of cold or hot dishes, individual nigiri sushi pieces, and dessert. Highlights of the sushi course include the Spanish Mackerel, Yellowtail, Miyazaki Wagyu, Botan Ebi, and a Hot Udon.
Overall, I'm 100% coming back to DOMODOMO. I like how they don't go over the top with their sushi. Some places go overboard on the flavors that you can't even taste the fish anymore.
I kind of want to try their domokase or some of their other a la carte dishes. I wasn't impressed with their dessert though. I will likely skip the dessert next time.
Cuisine: Sushi, Japanese
Average Price per Person: $60 USD
Address: 138 W Houston St, New York, NY 10012
Recommended:
Sushi Course
Domokase
To start, DOMODOMO serves a Cold Tofu and Tuna Sundae appetizer.
The tofu was pristine! There were no imperfections and the tofu was as silky as could be. It was seasoned with Sweet Soy. The Tuna Sundae was refreshing and I was taken aback by how it included some Granola, which gave it a nice crunchy texture. The tuna was flavored with Spicy Aioli.
The sushi (12 pieces) was all chef's choice. For our visit, we started with the Bluefin Tuna. It was the akami (lean) cut. It was nice, tender, flavorful, and not too fatty.
Next, the Red Snapper was chill. This white fish is also lean. It's more firm than the akami but it has a slightly sweeter flavor. The flavor is more mild though so it does well with a bit of soy sauce.
The albacore tuna was slightly seared so the outside had a good meaty consistency. The center of the tuna was still raw and tender.
I love Spanish Mackerel. This is one of the oilier fishes but in a good way. This fish comes with amazing cardiovascular health benefits. Mackerel, in general, is a good source of vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and protein. However, because of the high oil content, the fish has a shorter shelf life. Therefore, it is important that the fish is served fresh.
Here, we have the Hirame Sushi with Shiso. This was similar to the red snapper but it's a bit more flavorful. Hirame is flounder. The flavor is very delicate and should be paired with simple, elegant flavors.
DOMODOMO paired this with a small slice of shiso to give it that herbaceous kick.
The Scottish Salmon Sushi had a bright yellow/orange color. The meat was fragile and felt young.
Yellowtail is probably one of my favorite fishes. If you've read some of my other posts, you already know I go crazy for Hamachi. This fish is just so intimately buttery, rich, and firm. Every second eating this feels more addicting than the last.
The King Salmon Sushi was seared and came with Truffle Salt. This one had a bit more char to it so it had a good deal of smokiness. Its scent was alluring.
The Branzino with Shiso Pesto was good. I liked this one more than the hirame. It had a little more complexity and the meat was more sweet.
The Marinated Botan Ebi Sushi was VERY good. This is one of the pieces that impressed me the most. The shrimp was crisp, creamy, and juicy.
Uni Sushi. Eat it in one bite and you won't regret it.
I can appreciate that DOMODOMO used Miyazaki Wagyu for this sushi. It's just different than washugyu (American wagyu). The meat is noticeably more tender and the flavor is exponentially greater.
We requested to have a Blue Crab Hand Roll. They provided a generous serving of this sweet blue crab meat. I could have had this as dessert!
To end the meal, we were served some Hot Udon with Spinach and Scallion. The udon noodles are al dente just the way I like it. It reminded me of the quality at Shuraku in NYC. The broth was simple and brought us peace on this cold winter day.
My friend Helen got the Matcha Ice Cream with Chocolate Sauce. The sauce was white chocolate and the matcha ice cream was a bit too frozen. The taste was okay but it seemed like the ice cream could have been creamier.
I got the Pineapple Brûlée. The pineapples were sweet and slightly caramelized. It came with a scoop of ice cream and a couple berries. I liked it but I will probably order something else next time.