THE CHEF’S COUNTER AT SUSHI YŪGEN, which opened in November, is an eight-seat oasis at the rear of the main restaurant, where Kyohei Igarashi serves his omakase menu of 20-odd courses twice nightly. Not frequently enough, apparently. Bookings here are hard to come by. If you’re looking to understand why, consider the second course in his oeuvre — at least, as it was from launch through March and the end of truffle season. The tuber’s intoxicating aroma wafts upwards from a domed bowl sculpted entirely from ice. Within, three plump slices of shiromi are fanned out in a pool of truffle sauce beneath fresh truffle shavings and glittering gold leaf. Cold fish and cold truffle are typically an uncooperative pairing, but not here, where it’s exquisite. That dish aside, highlights include beautifully textured thin noodles (sōmen) in chilled dashi, a madai shabu-shabu, sliced steamed Japanese abalone in a sauce of its own puréed liver. Igarashi’s cuisine is distinct from the expected, rigid orthodoxy of a well-trained itamae. It reflects his training in both Michelin-starred sushi restaurants and kaiseki — and his desire to bring together the best of both worlds, along with a taste of his travels. It works. The room, meanwhile, is spare and elegant. The sake list is impressive and building constantly, with a slew of private imports, some of them unique.

Tip: For a casual experience, try the front-room bar sushi and enjoy sushi of a high standard served one piece at a time on a tight timeline (45 minutes at lunch, 1 hour for dinner).