NIKO


Artist Appreciation // Baron Von Fancy

If you’ve been to Niko, you’re familiar with this piece of artwork by our friend Baron Von Fancy.

We asked him about his approach to art:

“I have always loved old signage being born and raised in New York City. Sadly, a lot of
the old hand painted signage is slowly but surely disappearing. Like most things made
today, cheap fast production has become more important than quality and I see this a
lot in signage. Nothing is really hand painted anymore, but instead made computer
printed vinyl using generic fonts. That personal touch that made signage so unique and
interesting to see is disappearing, so my sign work is an ode or way to honor the
demise of something that had a profound effect on me. I work on the signs with a
master sign painter who has painted signs since 1960.”

Be sure to visit Baron Von Fancy’s website or gallery on Ochi.

NIKO Offers Lunch // WSJ Takes Note

Niko began lunch service recently, offering a calmer alternative to its dinnertime glitz. The menu adds donburi (traditional luncheon rice bowls) and new salad choices. The well-regarded sushi of chef Hiro Sawatari remains a staple.

Patrons can choose between brown and “super” rice (a four-grain blend) for their donburi ($16-$18). Try the unagi ikura—Japanese eel delicately barbecued with salmon eggs and pickled ginger. The miso-cured salmon ($24) is another piece of “environmentally sourced” fish grilled to melt-in-your-mouth perfection. The presentation of all the Niko dishes is appropriately pleasing.

An airy loft space with lots of natural light, Niko matches SoHo’s exposed brick with Japanese accents. Mr. Sawatari’s sushi counter is tucked in back where regulars can watch him at work.

As for Ms. Ono, she’s been spotted at Niko “a few times,” the staff says.

Source: Wall Street Journal

NIKO // Hottest New Restaurant

Source: The Daily Beast

The Buzz: There are many things to like about Niko: its clandestine SoHo location, its glamorous, arty vibe (model sightings aplenty), the killer sake list. But above all, Niko is a world-class sushi destination. Chef Hiro Sawatari comes here from the immaculate Sushi Yasuda, the raw fish offerings here are similarly transcendent. All the sushi offerings detail the source country with he precision of a wine list – the fish is sourced with sustainability in mind, in consultation with the Monterey Bay Aquarium — and the those who let “Chef Hiro” take care of the choices, whether at the table or the onyx-topped sushi bar, will find their head spinning (cod roe from Maine? Japanese orange clam?). For those who prefer their protein cooked, the miso-cured salmon and skinless fried chicken are revelations.

NIKO // 15 Hottest NY Hotspots

For lighter fare, festival goers can head to Soho’s newest sushi joint, Niko (170 Mercer St., helloniko.com). Cobi Levy, who was behind the ultra-exclusive but now-defunct West Village eatery Charles, opened his new spot three months ago with veteran sushi chef Hiro Sawatari and former Bouley chef de cuisine Raj Dixit. The restaurant serves up sustainable omakase at its eight-seat, onyx-clad sushi bar.

Source: Hollywood Reporter

“Everyone’s meal ends on a sweet note here with a complimentary serving of mochi, in green tea and strawberry flavors that night. Despite touches like this that are very much on trend, there is a certain timelessness to the new Niko, and not just because of the living tradition of the sushi bar. Close your eyes and hear the hum of the crowd and you could be back at Honmura An before it shuttered, or better yet, back in the Soho of 15+ years ago, when it was a genuinely cool, exciting place to be.”

Gastro Chic

NIKO // Restaurant Design in Frame Magazine

In his latest design, Rafael de Cárdenas has created a restaurant that combines subtle references to Japanese culture and his signature touches – though in a more subdued way than we’ve witnessed previously.

For the 80-seat restaurant, de Cárdenas says he opted for a simple palette with luxurious details, as opposed to creating a Japanese theme design to match the cuisine.

Along the ceiling and walls, de Cárdenas has hand-woven a cat’s cradle-like web of ropes, zig-zagging and stretching from one end of the room to the other.

As a result, guests feel like they are dining in an intimate cocoon as they sit in custom-built banquettes.


‘I wanted to incorporate the beauty of the room; the economy of means, the subtle palette and the sense of intimacy are a throwback to the Shinto design ethos,’ de Cárdenas says.

In the centre of the restaurant, a commissioned stained oak screen by artist Jim Drain separate the space into two distinct areas: a main dining space in front and more intimate dining room in the back. This area has an onyx sushi bar and cocktail bar made of brass.

From these materials, to walnut, blond oak and travertine, the restaurant includes a wide array of materials and colours which add texture and warmth.



Overall, Niko has a muted palette in comparison to de Cárdenas’ other recent projects we’ve shown you: STND/OHWOW and OHWOW Book Club.

The restaurant has been created in collaboration with NYC restauranteur Cobi Levy. De Cárdenas is the founder of Architecture at Large, which designs residential and commercial interiors, architecture, furniture and objects.

Source: Frame Magazine