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Tribeca’s Muku is a story still unfolding. But by the city’s standards, it’s already become a page-turner: the tasting counter received its first star from Michelin after only being in service for two months—the fastest on record for NYC. While I clearly don't work for the tire man myself, I can only assume it's because chef Manabu Asanuma's take on kaiseki seems effortless, moving seamlessly across techniques with confidence.
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.
As someone who's experienced my share of counters, Asanuma's is a bit more casual than most. Perhaps because he isn't as meticulous as the sushi chefs I've encountered—skipping the dipping and rolling to create perfect oblongs of rice and eyeballing grains before plating them. At times, this can lead to a lackluster presentation, including the raw course served under a heap of ice to signify the season, though the chips did become part of the meal.
Despite that, Asanuma has created something special at Muku. And with such a strong start, we can't wait to see how this story progresses.
Muku is located at 412 Greenwich St, Penthouse B, New York, NY 10013. Seatings are available at 5:30 and 8:30pm. Dinner is $295 per person.