On a humid Wednesday evening in July, diners at Odo East Village found a quieter version of chef Hiroki Odo’s Japanese cooking. The space, stripped of the formal trappings of his earlier projects, sits on a stretch of East 5th Street where foot traffic picks up after 7 p.m. The new location forgoes the fixed kaiseki tasting menu and instead offers individual dishes.
Tables at 8 p.m. held small plates of grilled eel, sashimi, and seasonal vegetables. The menu reads short but precise, with prices for most items in the $15 to $25 range. Odo, once known for elaborate multi-course meals in Midtown, now stands behind a compact counter, watching plates go out one at a time.
Most guests order by the dish, building their meal without the structure of a chef-driven progression. Service is low-key. The sake list is limited but well chosen, with pours starting at $12. Desserts are understated—on Wednesday, a matcha jelly arrived at a neighboring table with little fanfare.
The East Village crowd this week included a mix of solo diners and small groups. Conversation was muted, with the focus on the plates in front of them. The room is unadorned, lit simply, with little to distract from the food.
Odo East Village is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Walk-ins are possible early in the week, though most tables fill up after 8 p.m. The move toward à la carte kaiseki marks a shift from chef Odo, giving East Village regulars a quieter take on Japanese dining this summer.