To Sushi and Beyond

Calling all Vegans, health nuts, those who don’t eat gluten and those who just like good food: put Beyond Sushi on your to-do list. Opened in July 2012 by Guy Vaknin and Tali Katz, this little gem has raised the bar for all things Vegan and has single-handedly transformed sushi.  

The idea behind Beyond is to change your approach to eating: eat stuff that tastes great, makes you feel great and is great for you. Screw a meal plan or cleanse, Beyond is where you should kick off your New Year’s diet. Side note: It is also great for your wallet; the most expensive menu item is $8.50.

Where: Beyond Sushi (229 East 14th Street, Union Square).

The Space:  Zen meets Manhattan. Designed by Chef Guy’s sister, the idea behind the space is to escape the hustle and bustle of 14th street and have a place to relax. This inside of this simple storefront has bright green walls, exposed brick, high top wooden tables and a makeshift tiki hut where the chef does all of his magic. 

The Vibe:  Relaxed and unpretentious. Suitable for the: Hipster, banker or your B&T “friends”.

The Service: is tremendous. With a friendly staff that is eager to please, the food had a quick turnaround and is beautifully presented.

The Grub: Space and vibe aside, it’s all about the food at the end of the day. With no fish allowed, they offer an assortment of the sushi, wraps, salads, soup that all have high quality taste and are packed with nutrition.

The revolutionary rolls consist of an original mix of fruits, veggies, and tofu, wrapped in black or six grain rice and accompanied by yummy sauces like toasted cayenne and carrot ginger.   It is a “healthy and unique alternative to traditional sushi” and is beautifully plated. Per Chef Guy, “Your standards have to be high, whether it’s a $10 roll or $250 meal.” 

What we ordered: We sampled a little bit of everything, and it was all fantastic. My fear when I eat at “health places” is that will be bland, but I was pleasantly surprised; the taste and textures are just as vibrant as the food.

Nutty Buddy Wrap. Buckwheat noodles, crushed peanuts, cilantro, jalapeno peanut butter, avocado, sesame oil, carrots, baked tofu and romaine lettuce. Served with sweet soy mirin sauce. ($5.00) – My absolute fave.

Spicy Shroom Wrap.  Glass noodles, enoki, teriyaki braised shiitaki , grilled portabella, pickled ginger, spicy cashew, boston lettuce and sriracha. Served with shiitaki teriyaki sauce ($5.00).

Spicy Mang Roll. Black rice, avocado, mango, cucumber and spicy veggie. Served with toasted cheyenne sauce ($6.50).

Sweet Tree Roll. Six grain rice, avocado, sweet potato and alfalfa sprouts. Served with toasted cheyenne sauce ($6.50).

Pickle Me Roll. Six grain rice, gobo, carrot, pickled daikon and avocado. Served with carrot ginger sauce ($6.50)

About the Chef:  Name sound familiar? Guy was a finalist on Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s kitchen season 10. On top of his Reality TV pedigree, Guy comes from a “cooking family” and most recently headed up his family’s catering company, Esprit events, where he oversaw a 5,000 square foot kitchen and 30 cooks. Beyond is a concept two years in the making which Guy calls a “totally different vibe.”

Other things to note:

Central location. A stone’s throw from Union Square, this location is accessible to anyone: take the 6 from uptown, downtown or midtown and try Beyond.

Roll of the month. Each month, Chef Guy creates a new gem made up of ingredients only from the Union Square Greenmarket. 

It accommodates every type of eater. Delivery, catering, made-to-order takeout, pre-made takeaway (for the Manhattanite who don’t even have five to spare) and dining in.

Gluten friendly items. For those with dietary restrictions and/or are on a trendo diet.

They have desserts. A recent addition, Vegan desserts = Awesome.

BYOB. Don’t like sushi? You can “Build your own Bowl” of soup to warm you up on a cold Winter’s  day.

They are launching a vegan catering company. Named “Sprout” (which is PS will be the name of my future dog) that will serve tasty vegan offerings.

*Note: They are planning on doing a cooking class in 2013, e-mail me if you are interested.