This Japanese restaurant earned the fastest Michelin Star in NYC's history-here's what we thought

"Muku is located inside the former omakase hall at Sushi Ichimura, and not much has changed about the wooden counter-except for the addition of an impressive golden mural dating back to the 17th century. Asanuma, who previously worked at Sushi Ichimura, seems right at home as head chef Muku, executing the five techniques that define kaiseki: raw, grilled, simmered, steamed and fried."

"Grilling is certainly Asanuma's strong suit: rockfish's white miso marinade intensifies into a sticky sweetness with the touch of the flame. While the vinegar-aged king crab is seared over an intimidating grill, simmering with red-hot coals. It all comes together for a cold soup, a dish that is perhaps one of the better ones I've had thus far in 2026-a sweet salinity from the crustacean, a lightly bitter earthiness from the asparagus, a zip of tartness from the jelly, all rounded out by a smooth, cured egg yolk that sits at the bottom."

"Asanuma's buckwheat noodles easily rank among the top. Made with grain sourced from his family's farm in Yamagata Prefecture, the slick soba noodles are served slightly chilled with sesame and chive-flecked duck broth and have a toothy, almost woodsy quality. Once you've slurped them all up, the servers come around with pots of starchy pasta water, pouring it into the broth to make a warming, perfectly salted, sippable soup."

Muku, located in Tribeca's former Sushi Ichimura space, has achieved remarkable recognition by earning a Michelin star within two months of opening, setting a NYC record. Chef Manabu Asanuma, previously at Sushi Ichimura, executes kaiseki's five defining techniques: raw, grilled, simmered, steamed, and fried. His grilling expertise shines through dishes like white miso-marinated rockfish and vinegar-aged king crab. A standout cold soup combines sweet crustacean salinity, bitter asparagus earthiness, tart jelly, and cured egg yolk. Asanuma's buckwheat noodles, made from grain sourced from his family's Yamagata Prefecture farm, feature toothy soba served with sesame and duck broth, followed by a warming starchy soup finish. The counter maintains a casual atmosphere compared to traditional sushi establishments.

Read at Time Out New York