Sushi Kaito

Kaito on West 72nd Street serves a 13-course omakase for less than $100 that’s especially great because it doesn’t follow the same progression as most other high-end options in the neighborhood. Every two or three nigiri rounds will be broken up by a cooked dish like tempura fried hake in a mushroom broth, and maybe a smoked goldeneye snapper collar if you’re lucky.

The sushi tends to lean traditional here, usually with some alley oops from yuzu, dark soy, or scallions. But the sushi chefs behind the 10-seat counter slice the fish notably thicker than what you may have seen elsewhere. When you’re eating hefty pieces of king salmon, Japanese mackerel with ginger on top, or sweet shrimp with yuzu zest, you’ll really feel like you’re getting your money’s worth (and also like your mouth has an entire fish in it, with no fishy-funky taste whatsoever). Thanks to the larger prepared dishes, the 13-course tasting feels like a substantial amount of food. If you want to try even more pieces, there’s an 17-course option for $135.