Shortly after celebrated sushi chef Masa Takayama packed his knives for the Big Apple, his soft-spoken protégé Hiroyuki Urasawa settled into the master's former digs. The understated sushi bar has few precious seats, resulting in incredibly personalized service. At a minimum of $350 per person for a strictly omakase (chef's choice) meal, Urasawa remains the priciest restaurant in town, but the endless parade of masterfully crafted, exquisitely presented dishes renders few regrets. The maple sushi bar, sanded daily to a satinlike finish, is the scene of a mostly traditional cuisine with magnificent ingredients. You might be served velvety bluefin toro paired with beluga caviar, slivers of foie gras to self-cook shabu-shabu style, or egg custard layered with uni (sea urchin), glittering with gold leaf. This is also the place to come during fugu season, when the legendary, potentially deadly blowfish is artfully served to adventurous diners.
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