Tokyo Restaurants Factory, a leading restaurant group that owns properties throughout Japan, Taiwan, and New York—including sushi AMANE—has launched Wano, a new concept in MIFUNE’s former space.
Wano represents a return to Japanese fine dining serving an omakase sushi tasting menu designed by Hiroyuki Sato, the Chef/Owner of Tokyo’s acclaimed Hakkoku as well as a kaiseki tasting menu created in collaboration between Head Chef Tomomi Uji and Sous Chef Ryota Sakaba, who have been chosen by Tokyo Restaurants Japan to execute the new concept.
Head Chef Tomomi Uji has developed a unique culinary style working at several notable restaurants throughout Japan including IWASO in Miyajima, where he served as Executive Chef and specialized in the art of preparing Fugu (blowfish).
He also served as Executive Chef at ZIGI, a 36-seat omakase restaurant at the award-winning Laguna Bay Court Hotel Club in Aichi, Japan.
He has become known for his innovative techniques and gregarious personality that allows him to connect with each guest.
Chef Tomomi Uji is joined by Sous Chef Ryota Sakaba, who grew up in his family’s izakaya restaurant.
Enamored with the culinary world, he moved to Tokyo at the age of 20 to begin training in kaiseki cuisine at Hana.
He went on to work at Xex Atagon Gren Hills, in Minato, Tokyo Prefecture, as well as Harada Restaurant in Akasaka, Japan.
Over his career, Chef Ryota has been able to master kaiseki and become a vegetable sommelier trained in over 60 types of vegetables, a skillset he is infusing into Wano’s menu to mark each season.
The team is completed by General Manager Ayana Mazon and Beverage Director Daniel Eng, who have been tasked with overseeing the transition from MIFUNE to Wano.
Ayana has forged a career working in Japanese fine dining restaurants throughout Manhattan, including Michelin-recognized Soba Totto, and Michelin-starred Torien before joining the Tokyo Restaurants Factory team.
Daniel began his career in beverages at Hill & Dale, before moving on to Soba Totto—where he met Ayana—and serving as an opening bar team member for Michelin-starred Crown Shy.
The dining room kaiseki menu is a collaboration prepared by Chef Tomomi and Chef Ryota.
The two were trained by Chef Sato to reimagine a kaiseki service with both imported Japanese ingredients and local, seasonal produce and proteins.
Rather than follow the traditional kaiseki course format, they have used it as a starting point for their own genre of Japanese multi-course fine dining.
The menu showcases Fried Oysters, Kumamoto oysters lightly tempura battered and fried, garnished with fingerling limes which help balance out the natural salinity of the dish and micro herbs sourced from Pennsylvania; Akami and Kampachi Sashimi, Chef Tomomi’s artfully presented dish of akami—lean tuna—layered over otoro—fatty tuna—and kampachi sashimi topped with tobiko, separated by sweet ebi wrapped in a ribbon of cucumber and zucchini, with pickled black olives; Abalone steamed in sake for an hour topped with healthy portions of vibrant orange uni and Kaluga caviar with yuzu vinegar gelée that adds a sweet, tangy flavor to the dish, garnished with pickled onions and scallions; Japanese A5 Wagyu Beef perfectly cooked to a tender medium rare, served with radish, roasted fingerling potato, and sweet potato, drizzled with a savory bordelaise sauce that has been reduced for three days; and Mushroom and Ikura Clay Pot, based on a dish from Chef Ryota’s childhood that was served during special occasions and festivals consisting of sweet, sticky rice, ikura roe, and a variety of seasonal mushrooms topped with freshly shaved black autumn truffles, mixed tableside.
At the chef’s tasting counter adjacent to Wano’s entrance, Head Chef Tomomi Uji serves a 10-12 course omakase sushi menu that changes daily.
To prepare for his first omakase sushi service, he trained under Chef Sato and begins each seating with one of Chef Sato’s signatures, a Tossaki Hand Roll that features an exclusive cut of tuna from the back of the fish’s head, known for its high tuna flavor.
The experience is more casual than most as Chef Tomomi playfully interacts with each guest.
At Wano, dessert is a house made Mango Sorbet topped with Greek yogurt, passion fruit and a caviar-like blackberry.
Each of the two tasting menus concludes with a matcha tea service conducted by Chef Tomomi.
As a ceramics artist, he has created matcha mugs specifically for Wano, adding to an already deeply intimate experience as he shares his passions with guests.
The matcha is mixed tableside and served to each guest’s preference of bitter or sweet.
Wano also serves lunch from 11:30 am to 2 pm, Tuesday through Friday, featuring: Obanzai, a seasonal lunch tasting menu with 10 sample-sized dishes that include Japanese A5 Wagyu, Salmon Carpaccio, and sashimi; Sushi Sets; and dishes served over Rice, like Silver Cod Saikyo-Yaki and Wagyu Beef Curry.
Each lunch option is accompanied by rice and miso soup.
Sake Sommelier Institute-certified Beverage Director Daniel Eng has curated a Sake-forward beverage program, featuring selections from both old world and new world breweries and sake pairings for both the omakase sushi and kaiseki menus.
The Sake is complemented by selections of Champagne, red, white, and rosé wines, as well as Japanese whisky and beer.
- Location: 245 East 44th St. New York, NY 10017
- Website: https://wanonyc.com/
- Phone Number: (917)-588-8871
- Instagram: @wanonyc
- Hours of Operations:
- Lunch: Tuesday-Friday 11:30 am to 2 pm
- Dinner: Monday-Saturday 6 pm to 11 pm