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We've been waiting since the beginning of the year and now we can finally tell you that Next Door, the fancy sushi restaurant set to debut inside of Wegmans on Astor Place, will officially open on Wednesday, April 30.
Expect two separate kitchens to operate inside the restaurant: a live-action sushi bar and, according to an official press release, "the main kitchen featuring a robata grill." At first, the restaurant will only be open for a champagne hour and dinner service.
Let's start with the sushi: nigiri, maki and sashimi prepared with fish sourced by Wegmans directly from Tokyo's Toyosu Fish Market will be on offer alongside a slew of raw bar selection and small plates. There will be chu-toro tartare with truffle dashi, for example, house-made miso buns and a baked sweet potato with black garlic ponzu butter dish that we're salivating at the mere thought of.
The robata grill, on the other hand, will dish out entrees like Tokyo-style beef tenderloin with chili soy and whole branzino with pickled sansho butter.
Dessert is also worthy of note, mainly because all offerings will be gluten-free, including a pistachio semifreddo with amarena cherries and cherry champagne foam that will hit the spot once the weather is warmer. Also on deck: a chocolate miso cremeaux with Japanese buckwheat tea, hazelnut, miso milk jam and white chocolate ice cream, seasonal mochi and more.
The menu is rounded out by speciality cocktails made with fresh produce from the store (think plum, shisho, wasabi and more), a list of global wines and rare sakes from partner producers. Consider Next Door an ode to all things Japanese gastronomy, basically.
In terms of decor, the Art Deco-inspired space features banquettes in the main dining room, a champagne bar and the sushi counter, of course.
"The space is accented by warm lighting, greenery and distinct design details, including intricate floor mosaics and gold eglomisé, glass panels designed by Frédéric Monpiont depicting natural scenes evoking the spirit of the ocean," the release says. Mosaics will also be lining the floor, paired with columns made from Italian tile inspired by remnants found in the restaurant's original ceiling and walls that were uncovered during construction.
As for hours of operation, the new eatery will be open from Mondays through Saturdays starting with a champagne hour from 4pm to 5pm. Dinner service will kick off at 5pm and wrap up by 11pm. Reservations will be available on OpenTable once the place actually opens.