Boston is swimming in sushi spots; some are casual and low-key, others are pricey temples of gastronomy that appear on annual best-of lists. While it's far from a conventional sushi restaurant, the Leather District's o ya serves swoon-worthy sushi and other creative Japanese bites as part of its opulent omakase menus. The culinary power couple behind o ya, one of Boston's priciest restaurants, is Tim and Nancy Cushman—he’s a James Beard Award–winning chef, she’s a certified Advanced Sake Professional.
For those who save their o ya visits for special occasions (or when the boss is using the company expense account), there's the Cushmans' other hot spot, Fenway's Hojoko. The Cushmans and Hojoko chef de cuisine Rob Wong worked together to bring gogo ya, a new breakthrough concept, to Time Out Market Boston.
At gogo ya, the star attractions are the crispy nori tacos. Each delicate seaweed shell is stuffed with gourmet ingredients; the spicy torched hamachi option, which was directly inspired by an o ya dish, features truffled jalapeño butter, while the smoked soy salmon option comes with ikura, cucumber, yuzu kosho aioli, scallion and sesame. For a big splurge, go with the grilled Maine lobster taco, which bursts with flavor thanks to tamari butter glaze, sea urchin-sake sauce and lemon zest.
If you have a big appetite, opt for a torched sashimi (hamachi, salmon, tuna) or spicy local tofu bento bowl, served over your choice of local greens, seven-grain brown rice or sushi rice. Or head across the room to check out the Cushmans' other new concept, Ms. Clucks Deluxe Chicken & Dumplings.
"We wanted to offer a different take on sushi with crispy nori sushi tacos and bento bowls at gogo ya," explains Tim Cushman. "We always try to create an unexpected experience or offer something most people haven’t ever tried before."
Be among the first wave to try a crispy nori taco, and we think you'll agree: The Hub has a new, Japanese-accented dish worthy of culinary obsession.
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