According to Pete Wells’ review today in the Times of Kyo Ya, it seems the servers are omnipotent and the chef uses his sorcery to conjure the seasonal dishes of your wildest culinary fantasies.  I can barely fathom what a 4 star review from Wells sounds like after this 3 star litany of appreciation.

Wells praises the kaiseki menu as well as many a la carte dishes, notably the black cod in a miso glaze.  “No matter how many times you’ve had this dish, the version here can still make you shake your head in amazement,” he says, undoubtedly referring to Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s most famous dish.  Some of the textures and flavors, like the “cold sea urchin lobes and tofu skins bobbing in a milky broth,” however, can be off-putting to those not familiarized with traditional Japanese combinations, but Wells dismisses this as fabulous renderings that are merely misunderstood by the Western palate.

Kyo Ya is located in the East Village down an unmarked staircase, making it a destination restaurant for those in-the-know rather than a haphazard meal for co-eds wandering the village in search of sushi and sake.  In a country where Japanese food has been equalized to the lowest common denominator (to the point of airport sashimi), it is a treat to see the likes of Chef Chikara Sono bringing a touch of legitimacy to one of the most artful and exquisite world cuisines.

Kyo Ya 94 East Seventh Street (First Avenue), East Village, (212) 982-4140

Image Credit: eatdrinkman

Leah Alexander