I'll start with some honesty: I'm not really into sushi, nor traditional nigiri omakase (at least, not in New York). That being said, Tanoshi's overwhelmingly positive reviews warmed me up to the possibility that it might be worthwhile, and I made a reservation with an open mind.
Its appearance is unassuming — the awning and entrance suggest takeout, not fine dining. We arrived five minutes early, were shortly escorted through the narrow entryway (which doubled as the seating area), and sat at the bar, facing the chefs and an exposed brick wall bearing two massive maps: one of Japan, and one of the world. They were labeled with the names and origins of each piece of seafood we would sample over the next hour.
And out they came. Each was a slice of fish on top of rice, except for the second half of the meal, which consisted also of a bowl of miso soup, seaweed-wrapped eggs and rice, tuna rolls, and a spicy salmon hand roll. Despite not being the biggest sushi fan, the barracuda, Spanish bluefin tuna, and Atlantic pike each had a unique flavor that stood at the intersection of simple, novel, and refreshing. Those three bites enchanted me, and I hope to never forget them.
After the prix fixe, we were given the opportunity to order nigiri and hand rolls a la carte, from a list of about ten, which overlapped minimally with the chef's selection. Given my affinity for the canned variety, I had to choose the Japanese sardine. Its flavor was indescribably more pleasant than its cheaper tinned cousins and it was certainly worth adding to my order.
Not every piece “wow”ed me, but I left Tanoshi warmer to sushi than when I entered; the experience made me optimistic that raw fish, rice, wasabi, and pickled ginger — even if in small, infrequent doses — might have more of a spot in my future palate.