Anbā

A semi-secret find, Anbā's hidden status in the Lower East Side is enough to gain some notoriety. But the real draw here is that Anbā is entirely run by women, and its chef, Ambreley Ouimette, serves as the only female kaiseki chef in New York City. And Ouimette’s prowess balancing classic techniques coupled with an exciting take on fermentation and a full dry-aged fish program is what will easily keep us coming back.

The vibe: With a restaurant name that translates to her own in Japanese, Anbā is entirely a creation of Ouimette’s own making. Designing the counter all her own, Ouimette leaned on the natural and minimal wabi-sabi aesthetic, with a sandy marble bar and just ten seats tucked underneath it. Touches of her personality still shine through, including a full vinyl collection, flowers hanging from the ceiling and plenty of appearances from her favorite artist in song and in tchotchkes, Elvis. The mood at the counter is more familiar than formal compared to other counters, as it is easy to break the fourth wall and chat up the chef over her excellent batches of vinegars and sauces.

The food: Ouimette’s fascination with fermentation and aging play quite well together throughout her 18-course menu. Her collection of dry-aged fish and proteins gets put to good use, from a six-day-aged seabream to Wagyu that’s been aged for three and a half weeks. It’s all matched with sauces unseen at other counters in town, including pinches of salsa verde, swipes of kumquat kosho and kisses of hot sauce that’s been lightened with persimmon.  

The drink: There is a tight menu of sparkling and aged sakes, whiskeys, tea service and mocktails.

Time Out tip: The two fridges that frame the kitchen serve a dual purpose: their stock of dry-aged fillets and protein, such as Wagyu, are readily used for service. And two, its constant glow proves to be a conversation starter as well as a mood setter. Ask Ouimette about them, and she’ll gladly pull out racks of fish and even a bowl of glossy fish heads—she is collecting them—and give you a rundown of what she’s cooking up.

Read about our full experience at Anbā here.