DOMODOMO has been on my restaurant bucket list for AGES. So, needless to say I was thrilled when – having not seen my friend J.C. for months – it was chosen as the spot for our late night reunion last week.

Anyone who’s heard of it knows why this highly-rated locale in Greenwich Village / SoHo is known for being surprisingly unique (aka no one else has played copycat yet, really?): its one-of-a-kind hand roll omakase. Some snicker at the idea because hand rolls are oftentimes inaccurately perceived to be the horrible stepsister in an otherwise bourgeois meal during your typical omakase. DOMODOMO turns all of that on its head to prove that hand rolls can, in fact, successfully play a starring role if quality and creativity are plentiful.

Full disclosure. We sat at the bar but I didn’t order DOMODOMO’s “Domakase” [$68] and neither did J.C. My reasoning? Too many uni dishes I wanted to order a la carte to commit to a filling omakase (as much as I wanted to). That said, it’s definitely on my radar to go for it next time.

Each course was quite flavorful, and I especially loved the plat du jour – the oft-Instagrammed uni pasta [$17]. Made with squid ink, drenched in a rich cheddar dashi, and topped with a nice dollop of caviar, each bite was rich, creamy, and savory.

Of course, no trip to DOMODOMO is complete without an uni hand roll [$12]. A nigiri sized rice topped with sweet Santa Barbara sea urchin so creamy it overflowed, served in a fun “make your own” style.

One thing I didn’t realize before I came here, and one of the reasons that I didn’t order the Domakase, is that they have sushi pieces a la carte in addition to hand rolls. Fun surprise that led to – SHOCKER – another order of uni in the form of sushi [$9].

Since I didn’t go with the chef’s selection, it was a tough decision deciding what else I wanted without going overboard. And while the negi toro hand roll, bay scallop hand roll, and jumbo oyster with scallop all caught my eye, I ultimately settled on the butter sous vide lobster hand roll. At only $9, it was plump, buttery, and tender. #bestdecisionever

J.C. went with the 5-course hand roll sampler [$30] that proved to be enjoyable as well. Some highlights below from the courses that I stole a bite from!

DOMODOMO – Pros:

• The uni was A+ in terms of both overall quality and the multiple sea urchin options on the menu.
• The price wasn’t bad! A large portion of the super tasty squid ink pasta, an uni hand roll, and uni sushi totaled $38. And, if not ordering a la carte, they offer a range of tasting menus: the 5-piece $30 hand roll sampler, 8-piece $45 hand roll course, and 12-course $68 Domokase (see menu above).
• Sleek space and service.

DOMODOMO – Cons:

• Eh, no real cons. Only reason I’m giving it 4 stars versus 5 is because – while delicious – each course wasn’t exactly the most creative I’ve ever seen.

Rating [out of 5]: ★★★★

Address: 138 W Houston St, New York, NY