Anzu Serves Up Asian Cuisine With A California Flare
After a long day of shopping at Union Square, Anzu is a perfect restaurant to unwind and refresh. Located in the elegant Hotel Nikko's lobby, Anzu is on the second floor, up the white marble staircase. The California-influenced Asian cuisine is light so only your shopping bags will weigh you down when you head back out.
While the hotel's lobby is a stark white with steel accents, the restaurant's interior is a bit softer with green accents. Dine at the long wooden sushi bar to watch the chefs in action or choose one of the tables or banquettes overlooking bustling Union Square.
Bowing to its Asian flavors, Anzu offers a wide variety of sushi and raw bar choices, including oysters, truffle hamachi, kampachi carpaccio, and specialty rolls such as Titus with spicy tuna, salmon, avocado, lime, and jalapeño; a Niji Roll with crab, avocado, shrimp, yellowtail, and salmon; and the signature Nikko Roll with crab, avocado, Cheddar, mushrooms, and fried onions.
The signature — and standout — appetizer is the Rock, thinly sliced Wagyu cooked on a sizzling Japanese river stone served with spicy Korean sauce, Kizami carrot sauce, and a cilantro purée. Other starters include sunchoke and pear soup, beet salad with panko fried goat cheese, duck live pate, and foie gras torchon.
Main courses add flavors from multiple Asian cuisines to traditional California dishes. For example, a familiar roasted chicken with truffle oil is given an added kick with Chinese five-spice, and a local duck breast is served over puréed kabocha, a Japanese squash.
Finish the meal with one of the California-influenced desserts like pavlova with roasted berries, goat cheesecake, and an apricot and white matcha mousse with kiwi chai sauce.
Keep an eye open while you're out and about. You may be able to grab some of the same dishes from the Anzu food truck!