Hiro Sushi at Ollie’s just opened on 68th Street and Freedom Place (just East of Riverside Boulevard), replacing The Backyard @ 160, which closed a few months ago. The restaurant is a spinoff of the Ollie’s Chinese food chain, with a twist: they’re now serving Japanese food.
Ollie’s is a well-known chain on the Upper West Side, offering serviceable belly-filling Chinese food. There’s an Ollie’s Noodle Shop on 67th Street near the Apple store, and a to-go spot on 89th Street, among others.
Hiro at Ollie’s, which opened after Thanksgiving, is still tweaking the menu: “Some people don’t like or recognize some dishes,” an employee told us.
There are some traditional Japanese dishes, including a traditional seaweed salad, that don’t necessarily appeal to American palates, she said. “They say ‘Ew, this is not like I’m used to.”
The restaurant serves Shabu-Shabu, a Japanese hot pot with noodles, vegetables and meat all cooked at your table. Sukiyaki, another Japanese stew, is also on the menu.
They may add “a little more American” style Chinese food.
General Tso, anyone?
According to one menu posted to Four Square, they already have Kung Pao Beef and Chicken with Broccoli. Sounds plenty American-style to me. The restaurant itself hasn’t yet posted a menu online.
Has anyone tried Hiro yet? Let us know what you think.
Thanks to Denton and Shira for the photos, and to Sheila, Shira and Denton for the tips.
I ate there last Sunday night and thought the ordinary Chinese food was great. I am fan of Ollie’s for a long time. My son had sushi and he was pleased. Everyone should give it a try. It doesn’t get much foot traffic back there. We live in Lincoln Towers, it’s right behind my building.
Clinical depression: in 20 years, has Ollie’s ever cooked broccoli for people instead of rabbits?
WOW! GREAT!!
My friends* and I LOVE Asian food! How exotic.
*Of course, one of them may not be too happy. That would be Muffy, who was digitally captured scrounging for over-priced bread crumbs in the window of that over-over-priced E.A.T. on the Gold Coast … err… Upper East Side. She has since fled to the Upper West Side, but she is a bit traumatized and suffering culture shock. Maybe some chikken-n-black-bean-sauce will cheer her up.
Rat A. Tooey
I enjoyed it! I love sushi! A nice addition to the neighborhood.
Ollie’s on Broadway and West 68 has closed. Their typed signs on the doors say they are now part of Hiro Sushi at Ollie’s on Freedom Place. Big loss for the movie goers from across the street. I live on Riverside Blvd so Hiro Sushi is very close to us.