BY ALEX ELLEFSON | Haru Sushi wants to make their brand a mainstay of New York’s many neighborhoods — and the first phase of their expansion is ready to roll out in Chelsea.
On Thurs., Aug. 18, the Japanese restaurant celebrates the grand opening of their new location at the corner of W. 19th St. and Eighth Ave. This Chelsea restaurant is the first Haru Sushi to open in almost a decade — and part of a push by the company to stake out a claim in more parts of the city.
“We’re very excited to be in a vibrant, food-centric neighborhood like Chelsea,” said Seth Rose, vice president of operations for Haru Sushi (harusushi.com). “We don’t want to be a chain that’s on every corner, but we feel there are enough neighborhoods throughout the city where we can put a location and be that neighborhood spot for people who enjoy sushi.”
The company planted its first flag in the Upper West Side 20 years ago and later opened four other New York locations — as well as one in Boston — until the economic turmoil in 2008 put a lid on any more expansion plans. Their last restaurant opened (ironically) near the New York Stock Exchange.
However, the company is now in a position to grow again, said Rose. They plan to open another restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen later this year.
The company also hired a new executive chef, Ben Dodaro, to add innovative items to their menu. Dodaro, who joined Haru Sushi almost two years ago, is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and pupil of celebrity chef Michael Mina — rising up the ranks at Mina’s Nobhill Tavern in Las Vegas.
“I’ve known Ben about five years. I’ve seen some of the projects he’s done and some of the innovative things he’s done. And I just thought he would be a great outside-the-box thinker,” said Rose.
Dodaro works alongside Haru’s Sushi Chef Tatsuo Aoki to craft the menu. One of the items he said shows how the restaurant is breaking ground with its cuisine is the bluefin crab and corn fritter.
The fritter uses a traditional Japanese rice pearl breading on the outside, while also incorporating Asian flavors like ginger and Thai basil. It comes with a sauce that’s “got a big kick of Old Bay” seasoning — a uniquely American ingredient Dodaro especially enjoys.
“I grew up in Maryland. So Old Bay speaks to me,” he said. “By mixing different ingredients and coming up with different flavors, we’re able to give people something they might not find at any other sushi place.”
Haru is constantly cooking up new creations. Their seasonal menu changes three times a year, and they also create a new sushi roll for every one of their neighborhood restaurants.
The Chelsea Roll uses spicy blue crab, cucumber, tuna, and yellow flying fish roe to create fresh, cheerful flavors that speak to their new home.
Although the Chelsea Haru grand opening is this week, the restaurant held its soft opening in May — and has slowly been adding features like the hot kitchen and delivery service to the new space. They also plan to add an outdoor seating area after Labor Day, Rose said.
The restaurant already appears to be well-received. Earlier this week, guests filled many of the tables as well as most of the space at the bar.
Alicia Reitman, who lives a few blocks away, met up with a friend that evening for drinks at the bar. She said she’s visited the new restaurant five times this summer.
“There are several sushi places in this neighborhood and this is one of the better ones. It’s a really nice environment. The food is really great. The service is really great,” she said.
Rose said they chose to open the restaurant in Chelsea because they liked the community’s energy. New corporate offices — like Google — will also boost their lunch businesses and was another reason they set up shop in Chelsea.
“This could be a place where you could have a business meeting, you could bring a date, or you could just come to the bar by yourself and watch the game,” said Rose. “We’ve been doing sushi for 20 years and are excited to continue to grow. We are just going to try to keep it fresh and keep it exciting.”
