Kissaki Japanese Restaurant Opens in Manhasset at Former Misaki Spot
Taking over the old Misaki Japanese restaurant location at 411 Plandome Road, Kissaki has opened in Manhasset. This is the fifth location for the New York City-based sushi spot by restaurateur and entrepreneur Garry Kanfer.
Kanfer has opened a number of Japanese restaurants in quick succession, starting with his first Kissaki in Manhattan right before the pandemic hit. Since, he’s opened another in Manhattan, one in Connecticut and in Water Mill. Seemingly skipping over Nassau and most of Suffolk Counties, Kanfer actually signed the lease at this spot in Manhasset during Covid. It finally opened on October 4th.
The 3,500-square-foot, 65-seat spot has an ambiance that seems to be imported right from one of their Manhattan restaurants with black-stained paneled wood, black lacquered tables with deep plush half-round couches lining the walls and smaller tables and chairs scattered in between. There is also an impressively mysterious fireplace with slow motion flames in a small lounge.
The bar area has a little more funk to it and there is a bit of an eclectic vibe about the place, although when the lights are dimmed it adds some more elegance. On the day we went it was filled with patrons who already seemed like regulars despite being open for less than a month.
There is a lot to choose from on the menu with a selection of hot and cold appetizers to start (we had the spicy tuna crispy rice with toro tartare and chives). If you’re not sure what you want from the extensive sushi menu, we recommend you ask your server to suggest some items. They were very knowledgeable and had a host of information about each piece, some familiar to the casual sushi-goer and some not as much. Their fish is imported from Japan or caught all over the United States, even in Montauk. All of the sushi we tried was fresh and flavorful.
We had the uni pasta for our entree which is temomi noodles (like ramen) and uni with wasabi oil, nori and sesame breadcrumbs. To finish we had the matcha tiramisu, lady fingers soaked in matcha.
Kanfer, who also owns a digital agency called Big Drop, got hooked on omakase a few years ago, a style where the sushi chef picks the menu and serves it to you. Omakase is translated from Japanese to mean “I leave it up to you.” You can find omakase at the Water Mill location and a representative from the restaurant said omakase style sushi will be coming soon to Manhasset as well.
Location: 411 Plandome Road, Manhasset, www.explorekissaki.com, (516) 464-4884.
Scroll down for some more photos from the new Kissaki in Manhasset.
