A new Japanese market offering a taste of Tokyo opens in Greenpoint
All photos courtesy of GION
A new Japanese marketplace connecting New Yorkers to the trendiest Tokyo brands opened in Brooklyn last week. Located on Norman Avenue in Greenpoint, 50 Norman is made up of three separate stores, Dashi Okume, Cibone, and House Brooklyn, all making their New York City debut. Japanese architect Jo Nagasaka designed the 3,500-square-foot space to capture the authentic essence of Japan in New York City, with the use of reclaimed wood from a demolished house in Kyoto.
Cibone sells lifestyle and artisanal products, featuring items that represent both classic and contemporary Japanese craftsmanship. The store’s offerings range from art pieces and ceramics to everyday items like tea kettles and towels.
The store will also have a dedicated rotating art space for promoting the work of Japanese artists. The first artist is Teppei Ono, one of Japan’s most prominent ceramic makers. Ono’s art will be on display until the end of October.
Dashi Okume specializes in dashi, a type of soup stock that is a major part of Japanese cuisine. The storefront will be the first and only shop dedicated to dashi in the United States and the only store in which customers can blend their own dashi packs.
Customers can choose their combination from roughly 30 choices which the staff will grind together using a specialty machine. Dashi Okume is owned by Okume, a company that sells high-quality dashi and seafood, and has been doing so in Tokyo’s famous Tsukiji Fish Market since 1871.
The dashi storefront will also offer a casual dining experience, serving Japanese comfort food like grilled salmon, miso soup, and rice. They will also offer dashi-based foods, including pork and vegetable soup, vegetarian minestrone, and New York clam chowder, all using dashi from Okume.
Opening in late October, House Brooklyn is an eight-seat Japanese French restaurant run by Chef Yuji Tani. The restaurant will offer a nine-course omakase tasting menu, with dishes changing frequently. Their culinary offerings combine the highest-quality Japanese and French ingredients to create a unique, delicious dining experience. House Brooklyn is located within 50 Norman’s backroom space, providing patrons with an intimate atmosphere to enjoy their meals.
Nagasaka used reclaimed wood from a demolished house in Kyoto. This same material can be found in each of the market’s storefronts, including the tables at Dashi Okume, the display shelves at Cibone, and the countertop at House.
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