Tomoe Sushi

Profile

Tomoe’s long been a sushi mainstay in New York: The fish is excellent, it’s affordable, and the decor is totally charming. But unfortunately, the Department of Health shuttered the restaurant briefly in July 2013, and then gave it B and C ratings. Hopefully, Tomoe has since cleaned up its act, but, as a result, the lines to get in are much shorter, and that’s a great thing because the fish is still superb. If you can, grab one of five seats at the sushi bar and order toro, fresh-water eel, ikura, spicy cod roe—all of it. It’s hard to go wrong with sashimi, regular rolls, or hand rolls, but be wary of the cooked dishes coming out of the kitchen, like fried chicken, salmon teriyaki, and boiled bean curd in ponzu sauce. Service isn’t great, especially for takeout orders, but this is a no-frills restaurant, after all (though brown rice is an option). There are tons of chic new omakase-only restaurants in town, and this isn’t one of them. If you’re looking for a quick-ish, laid-back sushi meal filled with super-fresh fish, it’s hard to top this New York classic. — Sierra Tishgart

Sushi deluxe (assorted ten-piece of sushi and one roll), $32.50; sashimi deluxe, $39