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Immerse yourself in Japanese culture at New York Botanical Garden, where heavyweight restaurateur Stephen Starr (Morimoto, Budakkan) is launching a pop-up sushi shop alongside a new Kiku Japanese Garden exhibit. Beginning Friday, Oct. 3 at the Garden Terrace Café, find hand rolls, ramen bowls and mochi ice cream from 11am–6pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 26—plus Columbus Day.
RECOMMENDED: Read our full New York Botanical Garden guide
An ode to hanami (the Japanese custom of appreciating flowers), the spot is surrounded by multi-colored chrysanthemums trained to grow in a series of intricate shapes. Stroll through the blossom-lined walkways after loading up on yellowtail sashimi ($8) with marinated onion, crispy veggie tempura ($9) and poached-chicken ramen bowls ($13). Or stay put and sip sake through the afternoon—we won’t tell.
Take a look at the full menu:
Sushi and Sashimi
Tuna with jalapeño relish and white onion, $9
Yellowtail with sliced jalapeño and chili, $ 7
Shrimp with sweet soy, cilantro and onion, $5
Red snapper with sesame soy sauce and kelp, $8
Salmon with sweet soy reduction, roasted tomato and Tabasco, $7
Exotic yellowtail with ponzu-marinated onion and itogaki dried bonito, $8
Maki Rolls
Spicy tuna, $8
Tuna and shiso, $8
Eel and avocado, $6
California, $9
Shrimp tempura, $10
Yellowtail and scallion, $6
Spicy Yellowtail, $10
Salmon and avocado, $6
Cucumber, $5
Avocado, $5
Appetizers
Chef’s carpaccio selection with yuzu soy, hot oil and shiso, $12
Soba noodles with ginger, wasabi and shoyu dipping sauce, $8
Sesame chicken with cucumbers and radish, $9
Pork gyoza with sesame-ginger dipping sauce, $9
Edamame, $5
Tempura prawns with spicy ponzu, $13
Seasonal vegetable tempura with daikon soy, $9
Entrees
Tataki tuna with seaweed salad, avocado and yuzu ponzu, $18
Chirashi bowl with assorted fish, pickled vegetables and sushi rice, $16
Ramen bowl with poached chicken and green onion, $13
Seared Snake River Farms sirloin with wasabi fried rice, sake-sautéed mushrooms and shiso butter, $21
Express Bento
Miso-glazed Chilean seabass, $22
Tamari-braised beef short ribs, $19
Dessert
Yuzu meringue tart: yuzu custard with raspberries, $6
Mochi ice cream, $5
Written by Ashley Cox