In the late-1800s, some 7,000 Japanese workers were invited to Peru on two-year contracts with the promise
of jobs in sugarcane farming and the like. Naturally, some stayed. Started businesses. Families. Did other
things that happen when people stay places.
Which is all to say, to our benefit, the supercuisine that is Nikkei now exists. And here’s what might be
the most exciting example of it since Nobu…
It’s called Sen Sakana, it’s now open in the Theater District, and so not surprisingly, pre-theater dinners
and post-theater drinks are a go here.
Once inside, you’ll find yourself in a beautiful, cavernous, bi-level space that’s all blonde wood and
endless two-tops, with an elevated sushi bar in the back. And you’ve got two chefs in the kitchen, each
handling their respective cuisine: a Peruvian chef most recently hailing from a nice Queens steakhouse, and
a Japanese chef who’s spent time at Ootoya. Some menu highlights include hot shrimp ceviche with Japanese
mushrooms, the entire section dedicated to skewers of pork belly-wrapped Peruvian cheese and/or crispy
chicken skin and/or other tasty things of interest and ceviche sliders on sweet potato buns which sound
strange but are actually very delicious. Have a look at the whole thing right here.
On the imbibing side, you’ve got a slew of cocktails to consider, like the One Thousand Fish (with
house-dried bonito flake-infused South American pisco) and the Sen Sakana Sour (with cucumber, ginger, and
celery bitters).
