Now and Zen
A New Sushi Sanctuary in West Town

There are many paths to enlightenment.

Surely one of them must have good sushi along the way.

Here to help you find out: Arami, a veritable Zen garden, overflowing with maki rolls, pork belly ramen noodles and sea urchin shooters, opening this Sunday in West Town.

It’s easy to spot: you’ll find yourself in front of a storefront with an ornate red gate at the door. Once you pass through, you’ll soon find yourself overtaken by the warm, welcoming embrace of Japanese comforts—well, most of them (it’s BYO sake for the first few weeks).

You and a date could spend the entire evening at the sushi bar, facing down the omakase menu—sort of the sushi version of free-form jazz: the chef (a veteran of Mirai and Meiji) sizes you up, and starts riffing based on your tastes. Soon, you’ll find yourself plied with fresh hamachi, spicy octopus and makimono until you’ve reached nirvana.

Still, we could see you stopping in for a quick bite before a night on the town: pass the sushi bar, and head straight to the back room where a glass ceiling filters in the last of the day’s rays. Knock back an Uni Shooter (a shot glass filled with soy-soaked sea urchin), and get into some serious contemplation of the braised short ribs amid the splendor of indoor bamboo trees.

Just remember, there’s a strict zero-panda policy.