Odo
17 W. 20th St.
New York, NY, 10011
Official Site
Outside of Japan, New York City arguably has one of the largest concentrations of Michelin starred Japanese restaurants in the world. In the latest edition of the Michelin Guide New York City, Japanese cuisine continues to be strongly represented. The options are abundant, from world class sushi counters to sophisticated kaiseki restaurants. Among them is Odo, the two Michelin starred kaiseki restaurant in Manhattan’s Flatiron District.
Odo is the namesake restaurant of Chef Hiroki Odo, who was born in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, and trained at several kaiseki restaurants there. He moved to New York City in 2018 and became the head chef of Kajitsu, a restaurant specializing in shojin cuisine, where he earned a Michelin star. He opened Odo later that year, and the restaurant received its first Michelin star in 2019. In 2023, Odo was awarded its second Michelin star.
The restaurant is tucked at the end of the bar at The Hall, a Japanese-influenced gastropub also owned by Chef Odo. A nondescript door opens into a small and intimate dining space, centered around a handsome blond-wood sunken counter with just ten chairs, each covered in crisp white cloth. Soft lighting and the absence of music create a hushed, serene atmosphere.
Odo is open for lunch and dinner six days a week. Lunch features a six course kaiseki menu priced at $150, while dinner is $270 and consists of eight to nine courses. This particular visit was for lunch. Before any food was served, I started with a highball, a simple and refreshing drink that prepared my palate for what was to come.
The meal began with the Sakizuke – Fresh summer flavors with Chef Odo’s selection of seafood. It consisted of Hokkaido hairy crab with spaghetti squash, dashi and eggplant mousse. My server instructed me to mix everything together before eating. The combination was terrific, with all the components working in harmony. The delicate sweetness of the crab was complemented by the dashi and the earthy character of the eggplant.
That was followed by the Owan – Summer broth to clear the mind, body and spirits. The clear broth, made from tuna flakes, kelp and ginger, contained sesame tofu, amberjack and scallions. The seafood broth was delicate but flavorful, with a clean tuna presence. The sesame tofu had a pleasant nuttiness, while the amberjack was soft and almost milky in texture.
Next came the Hassun – Small bites of the summer harvest, a beautiful assortment of small dishes designed to be enjoyed in a few bites. The A4 wagyu was terrific, tender and deeply flavorful. The wheat cake had a pleasant mochi like texture, while the eggplant with house made red miso and sesame oil offered a subtle sweetness with a touch of spice from the peppercorn sauce. The panko battered asparagus and edamame cooked in a light kelp broth were both very good. A small cup of Hokkaido scallops with deep fried tofu, broccoli rabe, miso vinaigrette and peanuts was particularly impressive. Every item on the plate offered a different flavor and texture, yet nothing felt out of place. It was an impressive showcase of seasonal ingredients.
The main course was the Oshokuji – Chef’s chirashi, which consisted of two dishes presented together. The first was a chirashi rice bowl topped with sashimi of shima aji and chutoro tuna, salmon roe and shiso leaf. This was wonderful. The chutoro was rich and fatty, while the shima aji had a buttery texture. The salmon roe added a burst of saltiness, while the shiso provided refreshing herbal notes that kept the dish balanced. The second dish was one of the restaurant’s signatures: house made soba noodles served in a cold kelp and tuna broth with thin slices of A5 wagyu beef. This was equally impressive. The broth was subtle but carried a distinct tuna presence, while the thin slices of A5 wagyu from Kumamoto were exceptionally flavorful. The combination of cold soba, delicate broth and richly marbled beef made for a luxurious yet restrained dish.
For dessert, I was served the Kojita Tea – Hot and Cold. The contrast in temperature worked particularly well. A warm spring roll filled with kiwi flavored sweet bean paste was pleasantly sweet, but its sweetness was tempered by house made milk ice cream topped with koji tea cream, which had roasted green tea notes. It was an excellent dessert and a fitting ending to the meal.
This lunch kaiseki was superb. Each plate was visually appealing, vibrant and colorful, while the multiple components came together cohesively to create layers of subtle flavors. The use of high quality seasonal ingredients and Chef Odo’s adherence to the Japanese ethos of allowing those ingredients to shine without unnecessary manipulation were evident throughout the meal. That restraint requires a high level of precision, and the technique was on full display.
Service at Odo exudes Japanese hospitality with a distinctly New York presence. The staff were kind, hospitable and engaging without ever becoming intrusive. They were confident in explaining each course in detail and readily answered questions about the food with clarity. The polished yet approachable service complemented the intimate setting.
At $150, lunch at Odo is an excellent value for a two Michelin starred restaurant of this caliber. Factoring in a glass of wine or sake and a beer with the meal, my total came to less than $300, including tax and service. That makes Odo relatively approachable compared with many other two Michelin starred restaurants in the United States. Lunch is undoubtedly a great way to experience Chef Odo’s cooking, while the $270 dinner menu also remains comparatively reasonable for a restaurant at this level.
After this lunch, I will definitely return to experience the dinner menu. If lunch was any indication of what Odo can deliver, I would not be surprised if dinner proves to be even more impressive. Nevertheless, Odo is a solid two Michelin starred restaurant that delivers refined, thoughtful and beautifully executed kaiseki. For anyone looking to explore Japanese fine dining beyond sushi, Odo is well worth a detour.