Recently, a friend dared me to try to go two weeks as a vegetarian (allowing for fish (I’m only human)), and as a man always open to trying new things and almost unwilling to pass on a good dare I accepted the challenge. I made it eight days and missed two barbecues – about as unsuccessful as any dare can be (again, human). However, in the process I did discover an excellent fish/vegetarian restaurant called Ozu, on the Upper West Side.

The first thing you’ll notice walking into Ozu is how cumbersome it is to walk into Ozu. This is caused by a pretty funky door situation where both doors open IN to the small entrance chamber. It isn’t a huge deal, but quality food is all about attention to detail so it didn’t bode well. After navigating the treacherous entrance, we stepped into a packed house and had to wait for a table to open up. Once we were seated, which took about five minutes, I noticed that even though the restaurant is small and was full of people, it didn’t feel cramped – a major victory in my book.  The restaurant itself has an Asian feel without any gaudy design elements that scream “THIS RESTAURANT IS JAPANESE.” I can’t tell you how happy it made me to not have a restaurant’s décor be screaming at me for once. Oh wait, yes I can, it made me very happy.

To start our experience the server brought out some bali tea, which is definitely not my cup of… erm… well, I didn’t like it very much. I imagine it is possible for someone to enjoy tea of that flavor – I once lived with someone who used to drink Genghis Khan tea, which I joked was named that because it smelled like a burning village – but I can tell you I am not that person. Moving on from the tea, we ordered a Dinner box (a wild salmon filet, three appetizers, brown rice and miso soup) an Ozu tempura and Misoni.

The first thing to come was the miso soup, a subtle mixture of fermented soy and broth made from kelp and preserved tuna (at least traditionally) with chopped scallions and pieces of tofu. This is one of my favorite types of soup (trust me, it tastes way better than it sounds) and Ozu’s version does not disappoint. The soup was followed by the highlight of the meal, the Ozu tempura, a plate of batter fried salmon and vegetables (we ordered this as a communal appetizer, though it is generally a main course). The vegetables and fish were perfectly fried – crispy on the outside, cooked, but not mushy on the inside – and were well complemented by the sweet dipping sauce. My personal favorite was the butternut squash tempura, which really had an outstanding texture and sweetness.

The dinner box arrived next in a sectional tray with spaces for the main course (a wild salmon filet for me) and each of the three appetizers, in this case I chose: burdock marinated in sweet soy ginger sauce, fried vegetable dumplings, and summer rolls (basically cold spring rolls). While the salmon filet was delicious, the variety of the dinner comes at a price – you get very small amounts of each thing. I would only recommend the dinner box if you don’t already have some idea what you like, otherwise just order a main dish and a soup. The misoni, a large miso soup with chunks of salmon and noodles in it, is one of those no brainer combinations, like ice cream and waffles, that just works amazingly well.

All in all I had an excellent trip to Ozu and I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a subtle and sophisticated Asian eating experience. Just be sure to mind the doors.

Ozu
566 Amsterdam Avenue
New York, NY 10024