When Sugarfish and KazuNori came on the scene, they created a whole new category of casual Japanese in NYC. In lieu of a large-scale Tao or Nobu, the more casual Japanese fare became the trend. But there was room in the market for more creative hand rolls, and that’s where Temakase stepped up to the plate. Originally in the East Village, hand rolls got a swipe of yuzu honey mustard or chili butter aioli. Now there’s a second location, Temakase Nomad.
Atmosphere
The new location of Temakase Nomad is everything you want out of your favorite new hand-roll place. The space is sleek, the energy is happy and the vibe and people are cool New York. The dining room is simple; a light wood dominates the decor and the center of it all is the temakase bar. Less is more in the case of Temakase Nomad. The casual atmosphere makes it perfect for dropping in with friends, on a date, or solo.
Food + Beverage
I’ve been in search for awhile for a new hand roll bar, where there have been quite a few frogs. With Temakase, it’s now my favorite new place for casual hand rolls in NYC. The seaweed is the most crisp yet that I’ve found in the city, and the fish is high quality. Where it differs from KazuNori is that the fish is dressed in more interesting sauces and combinations. How it works is that you choose between savory and spicy. The savory, for example, on the starter selection called, “I could eat” has yuzu mustard and tobiko on the scallop. The spicy version has chili butter oil, chili flakes, and tempura crumbs. It’s all sorts of delicious, and the scallop may be my favorite on the menu.
Also, about the menu, you can do one of their sets, where the value of 3 rolls at $20 is hard to beat. The “Hungry” option is 4 rolls for $26, and the “Hangry” is 6 rolls for $38. There are also à la carte rolls, that include lobster and rock shrimp tempura. What I also thought were standouts were the crispy rice. Two bite-size pieces come per order, and I now crave the spicy salmon. They also serve the cool sake brand SOTO, which does the job any night of the week.
Service
It’s equal opportunity at Temakase Nomad. Where normally sushi chefs are men, I had my first female sushi chef, and now wonder why there aren’t more. Overall there was more diversity in the service and chef’s counter, and it made it a cooler experience. She, along with her colleagues, knew how to create the hospitality vibe. The execution of course was flawless, but this was actually a fun sushi experience. Our sushi chef knew how to direct us on our order, was knowledgeable, and actually spoke with us during our experience. It was all welcoming and combined with the food, my favorite everyday sushi bar now.
Overall: 7.9/10
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FAQs
Q: Where is Temakase Nomad located?
A: Temakase Nomad is located at 32 W 28th St, New York, NY 10001.
Q: What are Temakase Nomad’s hours of operation?
A: Temakase Nomad’s hours of operation are as follows:
| Saturday | 12–10 PM |
| Sunday | 12–10 PM |
| Monday | 12–10 PM |
| Tuesday | 12–10 PM |
| Wednesday | 12–10 PM |
| Thursday | 12–10 PM |
| Friday | 12–10 PM |
Q: Does Temakase Nomad take reservations?
A: Temakase Nomad is not yet linked to Resy, Open Table, or any other reservation system. You can try to make a reservation on Google Assistant but it’s unclear as to whether that will work. For now, it is safe to assume that Temakase does not take reservations. That of course may change in the future.
