When you step into the sparkling chandeliered and plushly furnished Fushimi in Williamsburg (one of three branches of the pan-Asian restaurant throughout Brooklyn and Staten Island), it feels like a nightclub. Darkened booths, a pumping soundtrack and neon-lit tunnels leading to elaborate bathrooms give the place a bougie feel worthy of glittery heels and a short skirt.
Lacking the grit of its hipster surroundings, this is a place to bring someone you want to impress. And Fushimi has everything you need from a date night – ambiance, good food and some glamour to boot. Turns out you don’t need to go even as far as Atlantic City for a little bit of the flossie flossie.
But besides hosting an annual fashion show and a filled-to-the rafters New Year’s Eve party, Fushimi is more food and less disco ball (despite the nagging feeling there should be a dance floor behind every corner).
The menu, courtesy of star chef Chul Kee Ko, is a blend of Japanese, Korean, Thai, French and American cuisine, but despite an elaborate sushi bar, it’s European haute cuisine-style fare that steals the show – little surprise given Chef Ko’s experience working under famous French chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. You’ll want to come hungry and sample the menu in all its incarnations – though on the pricier end, it remains special occasion affordable.
Appetizers are a plentiful blend of all the restaurant’s cuisines. The Pepper Tuna Tataki with ponzu jelly and Vegetable Tartar both impressed with their melee of complex flavors and spices, but it was the hot appetizers, in the shape of the crispy New Style Soft Shell Crab and melt-in-your-mouth Short Rib, that were the real deal. If you order anything, make sure it’s the latter. Braised for 24 hours and served with crispy mashed potatoes and adorably tiny potato chips, this is the stuff of cravings.
Before the main course, we sampled the indulgent Surf & Turf Special Roll, an over-the-top mix of steamed lobster sushi topped with filet mignon and truffle wasabi butter. This is a special for the next few weeks only, so if you’re feeling fancy, you’ll want to act fast.
In terms of entrees, the Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb is a standout. Dusted with seven spices, Dijon mustard and served with crispy mashed potatoes, it’s hard to resist using your hands and getting down and dirty with it (the dark booths mean no one can see you to judge you). Then quench your thirst with Fushimi’s signature Sake Sangria.
Finally, the warm, homemade chocolate cake served with vanilla ice cream is as dreamy as it sounds. Leave room for this and you’ll leave happy.
Twisted Talk: Does Williamsburg need a little more glamour? Or does something like Fushimi stick out like a sore thumb? Discuss below!
